Syringic acid attenuates sodium arsenite-induced hepatotoxicity and diabetes in mice via suppression of oxidative stress/inflammation/apoptosis pathways.

Objective: Chronic exposure to arsenic increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Syringic acid (SYRA) has anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of SYRA on sodium arsenite-induced hepatotoxicity and diabetes in mice.

Materials and methods: Thirty male mice were divided into five groups (n=6), include control, SYRA (25 mg/kg, last week), sodium arsenite (As, 3 mg/kg for 30 days), and therapeutic groups of SYRA (10 and 25 mg/kg, last week). The mice were fasted overnight and fasting blood sugar (FBS), and glucose tolerance test (GTT) were performed. Then the mice were anesthetized, and samples of blood and liver tissue were collected for measurement of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total thiol, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and caspase-3 protein expression.

Results: SYRA before As, reduced levels of liver enzymes, FBS, GTT, NO, TNF-α, and TBARS, and elevated levels of total thiol, CAT, SOD, GPx and caspase-3 expression compared to As group in mice.

Conclusion: SYRA can be suggested as a treatment option against the hepatotoxic and diabetogenic effects of As.