Antioxidant Activity and Cardioprotective Potential of a Nanoemulsion Mix of Rosmarinus officinalis and Centella asiatica in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Zebrafish Larvae Model

Hyperglycemia affects approximately 16.7% of pregnancies worldwide, with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) accounting for nearly 84% of these cases. GDM, characterized by glucose intolerance during pregnancy, presents significant health risks. Rosmarinus officinalis (RO) and Centella asiatica (CA) are known for their antidiabetic and antioxidant properties, including the ability to enhance insulin secretion and inhibit phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression in the gluconeogenesis pathway. This study aims to assess the impact of a nanoemulsion of RO and CA combination (RO-CA) on heart rate, superoxide dismutase (SOD), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2a (Nrf2a), sirtuin 1 (SIRT-1), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in zebrafish larvae model of GDM. GDM was induced by exposure of zebrafish embryo to a 3% glucose solution in an embryonic medium. The GDM phenotype was confirmed by elevated PEPCK expression as a hyperglycemia marker. GDM zebrafish was administered RO-CA nanoemulsion at concentrations of 2.5, 5, and 10 µg/mL.from 2 hpf to 72 hpf. Heart rate was monitored using stereoscopic imaging connected to a camera, while expression levels of PEPCK, Nrf2a, SOD, SIRT-1, and TH were quantified using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results revealed a significant decrease in PEPCK expression in the treatment groups compared to the glucose untreated group. Notably, the nanoemulsion maintained heart rate frequency and upregulated Nrf2a, SOD, SIRT-1, and TH expression, particularly at a concentration of 2.5 µg/mL. Overall, these findings suggest that the RO-CA nanoemulsion exhibits enhanced antioxidant activity and holds promise as a potential cardioprotective agent in GDM.