Studying the actions of sage and thymoquinone combination on metabolic syndrome induced by high-fat diet in rats.

Abstract

High-fat diet is one of the most imperative risk factors for cardiovascular disorders. Thymoquinone (TQ) is one of the active pharmacological components of Nigella sativa (black cumin). Salvia officinalis L. (sage) has been demonstrated to have diverse pharmacological actions. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of sage and TQ combination on hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, blood pressure, and lipid profile in rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Wistar male rats were divided into five groups; normal diet (ND) and HFD, in which rats were fed with a normal diet or HFD for 10 weeks, respectively. In HFD + sage group, animals were administered sage essential oil (0.052 ml/kg) orally along with HFD. In HFD + TQ group, rats were administered TQ (50 mg/kg) orally with HFD. In HF + sage + TQ group, animals received sage + TQ along with HFD. Blood glucose (BGL) and Fast serum insulin (FSI) levels, oral glucose tolerance test, blood pressure, liver function tests, plasma, and hepatic oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, and glutathione content, and lipid profile were measured. Sage and TQ combination decreased the final body weight, weight gain, BGL, FSI, and Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). The combination also lowered systolic and diastolic arterial pressures and liver function enzymes. The combination deterred lipid peroxidation, advanced protein oxidation product, and nitric oxide amplification, as well as restoring the superoxide dismutase, catalase activities, and glutathione content in plasma and hepatic tissue. Sage and TQ combination reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and amplified high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The results of the current study verified that sage essential oil, together with TQ exhibited hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant actions and thus could be a valuable addition to diabetes management.