Quantum-improved wormholes in the Dekel–Zhao dark matter halo

Abstract In this work, we investigate novel traversable wormhole solutions within the framework of Asymptotically Safe Gravity (ASG), in the presence of a surrounding matter distribution described by the Dekel–Zhao profile. By considering the ASG renormalization group flow in the infrared (IR) regime, we show that quantum gravitational corrections allow these structures to exist at astrophysical scales, where the Dekel–Zhao matter distribution and ASG effects together determine the geometric stability and observational signatures of the wormhole. Thus, the scale-dependent gravitational coupling G ( k ), derived from ASG in the IR regime, is incorporated directly into the field equations, providing a consistent description of quantum gravitational corrections at astrophysical scales. The combined effects of the running coupling (parameterized by $$\xi $$ ξ ) and the dark matter characteristics determine the geometric structure and physical viability of the wormhole. The solutions satisfy the flare-out and asymptotic flatness conditions within restricted parameter domains. The Null Energy Condition is necessarily violated at the throat, with the ASG corrections strengthening the exotic behavior required to sustain the wormhole geometry. This interpretation is reinforced by the modified Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff analysis, which shows that the repulsive quantum contributions induced by ASG counterbalance gravitational collapse. Phenomenologically, the shadow radius of the wormhole increases nearly linearly with $$\xi $$ ξ , lying within the Event Horizon Telescope bounds for Sgr A* when $$\xi /M \simeq 0.8$$ ξ / M ≃ 0.8 –0.9, suggesting that ASG-corrected traversable wormholes in a dark matter environment described by the Dekel–Zhao profile may exhibit shadow properties compatible with current observational bounds in the strong-field regime.