A comparison between the effectiveness of quercetin and glibenclamide on β-cells of male mice under oxidative stress

Abstract

Low levels of antioxidants in Langerhans’ islets can lead to oxidative stress and damage to beta cells. Many of the symptoms of diabetes may occur as a natural response of the human body to defects in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Many commercially available drugs, such as glibenclamide, are now prescribed to increase insulin secretion. Available studies show that long-term use of glibenclamide as a drug may increase inflammatory factors in β-cells and insulin secretion, as well as underlying diseases due to toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. This paper presents a comparative study analyzing the detailed effects of glibenclamide versus quercetin (QE), an antioxidant with free radical scavenging activity and minimal negative side effects. In this experimental study, islets were divided into three groups, including control, treatment and comparison, isolated and divided to investigate the proposed drugs’ effects based on the malondialdehyde (MDA) biomarkers, insulin secretion and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The results of the study show that a high concentration of QE significantly improves insulin secretion in β-cells. In addition, QE has beneficial effects, including decreasing MDA levels and increasing TAC. In conclusion, quercetin can be used in conjunction with more conventional therapies, such as glibenclamide, to reduce oxidative stress and maintain beta-cell functionality for insulin secretion in diabetic patients.