Aims: The aim of this study is to examine the regulatory effects of quercetin nanoparticles (QNPs) compared with native quercetin either with or without metformin against the abnormal molecular and biochemical pathways that eventually culminate in the pathologic condition clinically known as diabetic nephropathy (DN) in hamsters
Methodology: After synthesis and characterization of the QNPs, seventy male adult hamsters are divided as following; G1:healthy control, G2:untreated DN hamsters, G3:DN+metformin G4:DN+native quercetin, G5:DN+QNPs, G6:DN+native quercetin+ metformin and G7: DN + QNPs + metformin.
Results: Our results illustrated that the effect of QNPs + metformin is the most effective in IRS-1 and GLUT-4 gene expression that correlated with inhibition of HDACs which in turn improved diabetic and nephropathy biomarkers, this effectiveness followed by G6 then G3 and finally G4 after G5. These results were confirmed by immunohistochemical examinations. Levels of antioxidant and inflammatory biomarkers also reflected the protective effect of our treatments.
Conclusion: All tested treatments significantly exhibit renal improvement.