Table 3.

ZnO NPs for diabetes treatment.

Type of NPs	Size	Drug loaded/synergy	Effects
ZnO NPs	60–95 nm spherical	—	Mitigated the diabetic complications [104]
ZnO NPs	∼20 nm spherical	—	A significant decrease in fasting blood glucose and increase in high-density lipoprotein levels [105]
ZnO NPs	10–30 nm	Thiamine	ZnO NPs in combination with thiamine-improved diabetes therapy [106]
ZnO NPs	—	—	ZnO NPs effectively reversed diabetes-induced pancreatic injury [107]
ZnO-RSW NPs	∼20 nm	Conjugated red sandalwood (RSW)	ZnO-RSW NPs showed excellent activity against the crude murine pancreatic glucosidase as compared to the individual ZnO NPs and the RSW extract [103]
ZnO NPs	—	—	ZnO NPs acted as a potent antidiabetic agent evidenced by improved glucose disposal, insulin levels, and zinc status in diabetic rats [100]
ZnO NPs	∼10 nm	—	ZnO NPs presented pleiotropic antidiabetic effects via improved insulin signaling, enhanced glucose uptake, decreased hepatic glucose output, decreased lipolysis, and enhanced pancreatic beta cell mass [108]
ZnO NPs, CeO2 NPs, Ag NPs	ZnO NPs: 55 nm, CeO2 NPs: 54 nm, Ag NPs: 22.5 nm	—	ZnO NPs and Ag NPs had more potent antihyperglycemic activity than CeO2 NPs [109]
ZnO NPs	Spherical: 96–115 nm; hexagonal: 57 ± 0.3 nm	—	ZnO NPs displayed better antidiabetic potential (IC50: 66.78 μg/mL) than ZnNO3 (IC50: 91.33 μg/mL) in terms of the α-amylase inhibition activity [26]
ZnO NPs	—	Vildagliptin	ZnO NPs and vildagliptin have synergistic effects on the therapy of type-2 diabetes [110]
ZnO NPs	10–15 nm spherical	—	ZnO NPs could improve glucose tolerance and higher serum insulin and reduce blood glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, and triglycerides [101]