Water-soluble fullerene derivatives: the inhibition effect on polyol pathway enzymes and antidiabetic potential on high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats

Water-soluble pentaamino acid fullerene (C 60 ) derivatives (PFD) are promising nanomaterials with a wide range of biomedical applications. The present study has shown that PFD-7 competitively inhibits aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase, enzymes of the polyol pathway of glucose metabolism, which are known to be associated with diabetic complications. Treatment with PFD-7 was associated with a decrease in blood glucose level and improvement pancreas and liver morphology in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (induced by a high fat diet and streptozotocin). The data obtained indicating the ability of pentaamino acid fullerene (C 60 ) derivatives to exhibit a pronounced antidiabetic effect. Thus, PFD-7 may be considered to contribute significantly to treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic complications. Graphical abstract