The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet

Year 2025, Volume: 17 Issue: 3, 1270 - 1282, 11.02.2026

Afaf Beloucif Zine Kechrid , Malika Hamdiken Lazhari Tichati

https://doi.org/10.37212/jcnos.1787477

https://izlik.org/JA62MU72GZ

Abstract

The growing interest in foods that can be beneficial to human health has recently gained global attention. People have used pumpkin seed oil in cooking and traditional medicine since ancient times. Recent data indicated that it is used also in the pharmaceutical industry. So, this study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of pumpkin seed oil against oxidative damage in diabetic rats fed a low-zinc diet. Animals were equally divided into five groups: three groups were fed a sufficient-zinc diet, one non-diabetic group, and two groups diabetic rats, one untreated group and the other treated with a 5% pumpkin seed oil diet. The remaining two groups were diabetics fed a zinc-deficient diet, one non-treated and the other treated with 5% pumpkin seed oil diet. After four weeks of the treatments, fasting rats were sacrificed. Zinc deficiency led to decreased body weight (p<0.05), variations in biochemical parameters, zinc status (femur p<0.05), lipid peroxidation levels, and antioxidant (catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) values. The pancreas histological section also showed a disrupted architecture. Conversely, pumpkin seed oil supplementation markedly restored the above-mentioned parameters.
In conclusion, it seems that pumpkin seed oil supplementation is a potent factor in mitigating the oxidative severity of zinc deficiency in diabetes through its effective antioxidant potential.

Keywords

Pumpkin oil , diabetes , zinc deficiency , oxidative stress , antioxidant

Ethical Statement

The Ethical Committee of Directorate General approved all care procedures for Scientific Research and Technological Development at Algerian Ministry PNR/SF 08/2012.

Supporting Institution

This study was supported and funded by the ministry of higher education, Algeria

Project Number

This study was supported and funded by the ministry of higher education, Algeria under the number D01N01UN230120140040

Thanks

Authors wish to extend their thanks to Mr. Boulezaz Kamel, head of factory unit, ONAB, El-Harrouche for the elements composition of diet supply, members of Algiers Pasteur Institute for providing rats.

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