NARINGENIN THERAPEUTICS EXERT A PROTECTIVE EFFECT AND ALLEVIATE HYPERGLYCEMIA-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND APOPTOSIS IN CARDIAC AND NEURONAL TISSUES OF BALB/C DIABETIC MICE

The continuous search to search for a naturally occurring medicinal compound that could be a suitable adjunct to existing therapies for treating one of the growing global health emergencies in diabetes is a never-ending one. Naringenin [2, 3-dihydro-5, 7-dihydroxy- 2 -(4-hydroxyphenyl) -4H-1-benzopyran-4-one], a naturally occurring flavonoid abundantly present in grapes, grapefruit, and citrus fruits have been found to confer different pharmacological activities. Thus, keeping its potential medicinal properties in mind, our aim of the study was an in-depth study of intraperitoneal treatment of naringenin, especially at the levels of oxidants, lipidemic activities, and anti-apoptotic activity in tissues such as the heart and brain, so that it could be better evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent. Our study demonstrates that naringenin treatment reduced hyperglycemia-inducedoxidative stress by activating various intracellular anti-oxidant enzymes and preventing apoptosis by initiating the translocation of Bcl-2 to the mitochondria, partially affecting the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c to the cytoplasm and preventing the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, thus preventing cell death. The transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies confirm the protective effect of naringenin in tissue ultrastructure caused by oxidative stress. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay confirms that fewer apoptotic cells were present in naringenin-treated diabetic mice. Also, naringenin treatment in diabetic mice has a significant protective effect on lipid abnormalities caused by hyperglycemia. Therefore, naringenin could be beneficial in ameliorating some aspects of diabetic complications by protecting the heart and brain tissues of diabetic mice through its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.