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

Afaf Beloucif; Zine Kechrid; Malika Hamdiken; Lazhari Tichati

doi:10.37212/jcnos.1787477

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

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

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

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.

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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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Biochemistry and Cell Biology (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Afaf Beloucif This is me
0000-0001-8228-9474
Algeria

Zine Kechrid ^*
0000-0003-3699-8573
Algeria

Malika Hamdiken This is me
0009-0005-3902-4522
Algeria

Lazhari Tichati This is me
0000-0002-1503-7354
Algeria

Publication Date

February 11, 2026

Submission Date

September 20, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 28, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 17 Number: 3

DOI

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

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA62MU72GZ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Beloucif, A., Kechrid, Z., Hamdiken, M., & Tichati, L. (2026). The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet. Journal of Cellular Neuroscience and Oxidative Stress, 17(3), 1270-1282. https://doi.org/10.37212/jcnos.1787477

AMA

1.Beloucif A, Kechrid Z, Hamdiken M, Tichati L. The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet. J Cell Neurosci Oxid Stress. 2026;17(3):1270-1282. doi:10.37212/jcnos.1787477

Chicago

Beloucif, Afaf, Zine Kechrid, Malika Hamdiken, and Lazhari Tichati. 2026. “The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet”. Journal of Cellular Neuroscience and Oxidative Stress 17 (3): 1270-82. https://doi.org/10.37212/jcnos.1787477.

EndNote

Beloucif A, Kechrid Z, Hamdiken M, Tichati L (February 1, 2026) The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet. Journal of Cellular Neuroscience and Oxidative Stress 17 3 1270–1282.

IEEE

[1]A. Beloucif, Z. Kechrid, M. Hamdiken, and L. Tichati, “The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet”, J Cell Neurosci Oxid Stress, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 1270–1282, Feb. 2026, doi: 10.37212/jcnos.1787477.

ISNAD

Beloucif, Afaf - Kechrid, Zine - Hamdiken, Malika - Tichati, Lazhari. “The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet”. Journal of Cellular Neuroscience and Oxidative Stress 17/3 (February 1, 2026): 1270-1282. https://doi.org/10.37212/jcnos.1787477.

JAMA

1.Beloucif A, Kechrid Z, Hamdiken M, Tichati L. The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet. J Cell Neurosci Oxid Stress. 2026;17:1270–1282.

MLA

Beloucif, Afaf, et al. “The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet”. Journal of Cellular Neuroscience and Oxidative Stress, vol. 17, no. 3, Feb. 2026, pp. 1270-82, doi:10.37212/jcnos.1787477.

Vancouver

1.Afaf Beloucif, Zine Kechrid, Malika Hamdiken, Lazhari Tichati. The Beneficial Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Metabolic and Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats Fed Low Zinc Diet. J Cell Neurosci Oxid Stress. 2026 Feb. 1;17(3):1270-82. doi:10.37212/jcnos.1787477