Sorimuthu Pillai Subramanian
Objectives: Zinc is an essential trace element with prominent roles in the structural and functional aspects of insulin. Several reports are available on the development of zinc complexes with various ligands to reduce the toxicity of zinc. In the present study, an attempt has been made to synthesize zinc-avicularin complex and it was subjected to spectral characterization and systematic antidiabetic properties.
Design: The zinc-avicularin complex was synthesized by molar ratio method and characterized by spectral studies such as FT-IR, mass, 1H NMR and 13C NMR Acute toxicity and dosage fixation studies were carried out as per OCED guidelines. HFD fed -low dose streptozotocin induced experimental type 2 diabetes was chosen as the animal model. The oral glucose tolerance test performed in the control and experimental groups of rats. The levels of fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), plasma insulin and urine sugar, protein, urea, uric acid and creatinine were determined by established methods. The activities of serum AST, ALT and ALP were assayed.
Results: The spectral studies provide evidence for the complexation between zinc ions with avicularin. Acute toxicity and dosage fixation studies revealed the non toxic nature of the complex and the optimum dose as 5 mg/kg b.w./rat/day orally for 30 days. The biochemical alterations observed in the experimental diabetic rats were reverted to the physiological range after treatment with zinc-avicularin complex as well as metformin
Conclusion: The newly synthesized and characterized zinc-avicularin complex is non toxic and elicits significant antihyperglycemic activity which in turn may be due to the insulin stimulatory and/or insulin mimetic activity.
