General information
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease marked by increased blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). It can be caused by insufficient insulin production (type 1 diabetes) or impaired insulin production and resistance (type 2 diabetes). Cell signaling systems, particularly the insulin IR/PI3K/AKT/FOXO signaling pathway, are important in the pathogenesis of DM. Disruption of its activity can lead to impaired insulin production, β-cell dysfunction, and chronic inflammation. By targeting pathways related to the activity of enzymes such as arginase, NOS, and glycogen synthase, as well as insulin production and glucose transport processes, it is possible to inhibit disease development and identify potential prevention mechanisms. Plant phytochemicals with multitarget effects, along with combinations of synthetic chemical compounds, offer a promising approach to diabetes treatment. The research project aims to identify the antidiabetic effect of metformin (a classical antidiabetic drug) and the nor-NOHA (a competitive inhibitor of arginase enzyme), separately and in combination with different phytochemicals, on the insulin IR/PI3K/AKT/FOXO pathway in an in vivo experimental rat model of diabetes.
