AbstractObjectivesType 2 diabetes is a common metabolic disease and anxiety disorders are very common among diabetics. Buspirone is used in the treatment of anxiety, also having blood glucose-lowering effects. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of buspirone on the glucose and lipid metabolism as well as vascular function in type 2 diabetic rats.MethodsA type 2-diabetic model was induced through a high-fat diet for eight weeks followed by the administration of low-dose streptozotocin (35 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) in rats. Buspirone was given at two different doses (1.5 mg/kg/d and 5 mg/kg/d) and combined with metformin (300 mg/kg/d). The fasting glucose and insulin levels, lipid profile were analyzed, and vascular response measured from the thoracic aorta was also evaluated.ResultsBoth doses of buspirone caused a significant improvement in fasting blood glucose levels. In particular, the buspirone treatment, combined with metformin, improved endothelial dysfunction and was found to be correlated with decreased nitrate/nitrite levels.ConclusionsBuspirone may be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, either alone or in combination with other treatments, particularly in terms of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and impaired blood glucose, and insulin levels.
Thymus praecox subsp. skorpilii var. skorpilii extract attenuates degeneration of beta-cells and reduced insulin levels in type 2 diabetic rats