Thai Traditional Remedy “Mathurameha” Attenuates Brain Complications in High-Fat Diet/Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.11453Keywords:
Mathurameha, Diabetes mellitus, Diabetes complication, Hippocampus, Neurodegeneration, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, Glucose transporter 1, Mathurameha, Diabetes mellitus, Diabetes complications, Hippocampus, Neurodegeneration, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, Glucose transporter 1Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder increasingly recognized for its detrimental effects on the central nervous system. Mathurameha, a traditional Thai herbal remedy, has long been used for diabetes treatment. However, the neuroprotective potential of Mathurameha to protect the brain against damage in diabetes has never been identified. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were induced with T2DM via a high-fat diet (HFD) and a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ; 40 mg/kg). The ethanol extract of Mathurameha (20, 100 and 200 mg/kg) was administered orally to diabetic rats daily for 35 days. Following sacrificed, hippocampus was harvested and subjected for histological and molecular biological analyses. T2DM significantly reduced hippocampal neuronal survival. This effect was notably ameliorated by treatment with Mathurameha, with the 200 mg/kg dose demonstrating the most pronounced improvement. Furthermore, diabetic rats exhibited decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), both of which were significantly restored following Mathurameha treatment. Mathurameha demonstrated a dose-dependent effect. Treatment at 20 and 100 mg/kg body weight did not significantly increase BDNF and GLUT1 levels compared to the untreated diabetic group. However, administration at 200 mg/kg body weight significantly restored BDNF and GLUT1 expression <p < 0.05>. These findings suggest that Mathurameha exerts neuroprotective effects in T2DM, likely through the upregulation of BDNF and GLUT1, supporting its therapeutic potential in diabetes-associated neurodegeneration.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Mathurameha significantly improved hippocampal neuronal survival in HFD/STZ-induced T2DM rats.
- Mathurameha treatment reversed diabetes-induced reductions in BDNF and GLUT1, suggesting mechanisms of neuroprotection and enhanced cerebral glucose metabolism.
- This study is the 1st to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Mathurameha in a diabetic model, extending its therapeutic potential beyond established glycemic and cardiovascular benefits.
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