Effect of Agmatine on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced by Type 2 Diabetes in Rats

Aim: To determine the potential hepatoprotective effect of Agmatine (AGM) on NAFLD-induced by Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rats.

Study design: Forty male Wistar rats weighing from (200 -250 g) were distributed at random into five groups (8 rats per group): group 1 as control; group 2 as untreated-T2DM; groups 3 & 4 as T2DM cotreated with AGM (40 & 80 mg/kg/d), while group 5 T2DM cotreated with Silymarin (100 mg/kg/d).

Place and duration of study: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, king Abdul-Aziz University; between October 2020 and January 2021.

Methodology: A rat model of T2DM with NAFLD complication was established by feeding rats with 10% fructose in drinking water and intraperitoneally injecting them with a single low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (45mg/kg). The fasting blood glucose was detected, serum levels of hepatic biomarkers were all assessed. Moreover, histopathological examination was performed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.

Results: STZ induced T2DM in rats causes a significant (p<0.05, n=8) rise in serum levels of FBG, ALT, AST, TB, TC, TG, and LDL in comparison with the corresponding control group. Co-treatment with AGM (40 & 80 mg/kg) and silymarin significantly alleviated hyperglycemia and amended hepatic biomarkers that was reflected on improved histopathological changes.

Conclusion: The current data suggest that oral AGM co-treatment could have a hepatoprotective effect against T2DM associated with NAFLD in rats. Further investigations are recommended to elucidate molecular mechanisms accountable for the useful effects of AGM on hepatocytes.