Shahad Alsunusi¹, Taha A. Kumosani^1,2,3, Etimad Huwait^1,2, Soonham S. Yaghmoor^2,3, Said S. Moselhy^4*  

¹Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

²Experimental Biochemistry Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

³Production of Bio-products for Industrial Application Research Group, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

⁴Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

 

*Corresponding author’s email: moselhy6@hotmail.com

Received: 08 October 2025 / Revised: 11 December 2025 / Accepted: 22 December 2025 / Published Online: 16 January 2026

 

Abstract

 

Cypermethrin (CYPn) is a commonly used pesticide in agriculture and houses for insect’s control. We evaluated the pancreatic toxicity in rats exposed to CYPn and the protective   efficacy of Ruthana date extract (RDE) as against toxicity. In the current study, male Wister albino rats were allocated into five groups; (8 rats/group). Group I: Control, while rats in groups II-V were daily given 100 mg/ kg CYPn (1/10 LD₅₀) orally for 4 weeks. Groups III, IV and V; rats were supplemented in the same time 100, 200 and 300 mg RDE/kg respectively. Data obtained showed that, phytochemical analysis of RDE showed its high content of catechin, naringenin and apigenin as major flavonoids content.  Also, rats given CYPn showed a significant elevation in fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HA1c), malondialdehyde (MDA) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels while the insulin and GSH levels were significantly reduced (p< 0.001) compared with control. On the other hand, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (GST, GSPx and SOD) were increased in rats injected with CYPn versus control.  In addition, CYPn increased HOMA-IR, cytochrome c (Cyto-c), and reduced Sirtuin 1 level.  Rats treated with RDE restored these abnormalities with dose-dependent. Flavonoids (catechin, naringenin and apigenin) from RDE showed a protective effect against toxicity induced by CYPn via reduction of antioxidants activities, sirtuin 1, insulin sensitivity, reduction Cyto-c release and inflammatory mediators. It was concluded that, the active ingredients of RDE is promising in developing a safe protective agent against pancreatic toxicity and incidence of diabetogenesis induced by CYPn.

 

Keywords: Ruthana date, Cypermethrin, Insulin resistance, SIRT-1, Cytochrome c, Diabetes, Antioxidant, Rats

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