The Effects of Thiosemicarbazone-based Oxovanadium (IV) Complex on the Lens and Skin Tissues in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats and Computational Studies for the Key Target Proteins of the Lens Tissues

Abstract

A vanadium compound, 2,4-dihydroxybenzylidene-N(4)-2-hydroxybenzylidene-S-methyl-isothiosemicarbazidato-oxidovanadium(IV) (VOL), was investigated for its possible benefits in the treatment of diabetes-related symptoms. Male Swiss albino rats aged 3 to 3.5 months were used in the study. The animals were randomly assigned to four groups. Experimental diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 65 mg/kg. The groups were as follows: Group I – healthy control (no treatment); Group II – healthy control rats administered VOL; Group III – STZ-induced diabetic rats; Group IV – STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with VOL. After diabetes was induced, VOL was administered to the rats in Groups II and IV via gavage at a daily dose of 0.2 mM/kg for 12 consecutive days. Based on biochemical results, in lens and skin tissues, reduced glutathione levels, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities were increased, whereas lipid peroxidation and non-enzymatic glycosylated levels were decreased in VOL-treated diabetic rats. Besides that, enzyme activities in the polyol pathway decreased in the lens tissues of diabetic animals given VOL. The binding affinities of these two enzymes (AR and SDH) to VOL were also investigated using molecular docking based on the conformational state. The results revealed that the use of VOL can be effective in preventing or at least retarding the development of some diabetic ocular and dermal complications. © 2025, Turkish Chemical Society. All rights reserved.