The Characterization of Fructose-Based High-Fat Diet and Low-Dose Streptozotocin in A Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat Model

Animal models with valuable information on biochemical profiles are essential for preclinical trials of new antidiabetic agents. This study was to optimize and characterize of high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFFD) and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM). Wistar rats were fed with HFFD for 2, 4, and 6 weeks, followed by STZ (35 mg/kg BW), thus measuring the biochemical parameters. Non-induction HFFD and STZ were used as a normal control group. HFFD and low-dose STZ-induced rats demonstrated an elevation in the body weight, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, triglyceride/ glucose index, necrosis score, and the insulin-negative cells. Moreover, this induction also reduced the number of insulin-positive cells and the percentage of insulin-positive cells. The findings imply that feeding Wistar rat HFFD for two weeks, followed by a single dose of STZ at 35 mg/kg BW will result in a reliable and stable diabetic rat model that closely resembles the biochemical characteristics of type 2 DM.