Fullerene C60 Nanoparticles Decrease Liver Oxidative Stress through Increment of Liver Antioxidant Capacity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats

Abstract

Chronic hyperglycemia causes oxidative stress in the liver and enhances the hepatic vulnerability to oxidative damage in diabetes mellitus. Since an excellent antioxidative stress property of fullerene C₆₀ nanoparticles has been demonstrated in a wide range of in vitro and in vivo studies, we examined the effect of fullerene C₆₀ nanoparticles on the oxidative stress markers in the liver of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 8 for each group): normal, treated normal, diabetic, and treated diabetic groups. The rats were made diabetic by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). Treated (normal and diabetic) rats received orally fullerene C₆₀ nanoparticles (1 mg/kg/day) by a gavage tube for 8 weeks. At termination of the study, the oxidative stress parameters were determined in liver tissues, including malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as the content of the reduced form of glutathione (GSH). Treatment with fullerene C₆₀ did not change blood glucose of normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes increased MDA levels and CAT activity but decreased GSH content in the liver. Fullerene C₆₀ administration significantly decreased MDA levels and increased the activities of CAT and SOD as well as ameliorated the histopathological changes in the liver of diabetic rats. Taken together, the results of the present study indicated that fullerene C₆₀ nanoparticles could decrease oxidative stress injury in the liver of diabetic rats likely through potentiation of the hepatic antioxidant capacity.