The possible benefits of Garcinia kola and curcumin on diabetes-induced aorta damage in the male rats with transected sciatic nerve: An experimental study

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the degenerative effects of diabetes on the aorta and the potential therapeutic advantages of herbal agents halting the progression of diabetes, using morphoquantitative, light, and electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical methods. In diabetic rats with sciatic nerve transection, severe systemic inflammation can lead to significant changes in vascular morphology. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the combination of neuropathic pain and diabetes would create a more clinically significant pathophysiological picture.Methods: The study groups consisted of 35 randomly selected Wistar albino rats: Healthy control group (Cont) (n=7), Sham that underwent the operation (n=7), Diabetes mellitus group induced by streptozotocin (DM) (n=7), diabetes treated with 200 mg/kg/day Garcinia kola (GK) (DM+GK) (n=7), and 300 mg/kg/day Curcumin (Cur) is administered to treat diabetes in the DM+Cur group (n=7). A neuropathic pain model was induced by performing a vein graft after sciatic nerve incision in all groups except the control group. 50 mg/kg (a single dose) of streptozotocin has been used for the induction of diabetes. Histopathological, ultrastructural, and immunostaining for anti-caspase-3 and anti-VEGF-A were evaluated.Results: Degenerative changes were found in the diabetic aorta. Partial disruption of elastic fiber integrity in the tunica media was observed in the GK-treated group. Anti-caspase-3 positivity was intense in the DM rats. Anti-VEGF-A staining was low in the DM but higher in DM+Cur compared with DM+GK. The tunica media thickness decreased significantly in the DM and treatment groups compared to the Sham group.Conclusion: Diabetes damages aortic elastic fibers. Cur can induce anti-VEGF-A expression, which is reduced in diabetes. Both curcumin and GK inhibit diabetes-induced apoptosis, with Cur exerting a more substantial protective effect on the aorta.