2/7/2005 NewsRxDiabetes - The metabolic and antioxidant effects ofvitamin E are superior to those of diltiazem in diabetic rats.

According to a study from Turkey, "In this study, solitary and combinedeffects of vitamin E and the calcium-channel blocker diltiazem wereinvestigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Thirty maleWistar albino rats, weighing approximately 200 g were used. Diabetesmellitus was induced by a single intravenous injection of STZ at a dose of65 mg/kg body weight. Five experimental groups were established asSTZ-diabetic, STZ-diabetic + vitamin E, STZ-diabetic + diltiazem andSTZ-diabetic + vitamin E + diltiazem. Vitamin E was injectedintraperitoneally three times a week at a dose of 500 mg/kg body weight."

"Diltiazem was given orally every day at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight,"said A. Akdogan Kaymaz and colleagues at Istanbul University. "At the endof the study (10 weeks) blood glucose levels of diabetic rats, which hadreceived vitamin E and diltiazem, had significantly decreased whencompared with untreated diabetic rats (p<0.02). Similarly, HbA1c levelshad significantly decreased in diabetic rats which had received vitamin E(p<0.05), diltiazem (p<0.01) and vitamin E + diltiazem (p<0.02) whencompared with untreated diabetic rats. Liver glutathione levels ofdiabetic rats, which had received vitamin E (p<0.01) and vitamin E +diltiazem (p<0.05) had significantly increased when compared withuntreated diabetic rats."

"Liver lipid peroxide levels had significantly decreased in diabetic rats,which had received vitamin E (p<0.001) and diltiazem (p<0.01)," reportedthe researchers. "With respect to their metabolic and antioxidant effects,vitamin E proved superior to diltiazem."

Kaymaz and associates published the results of their research in theJournal of Veterinary Medicine Series A - Physiology Pathology ClinicalMedicine (Comparison of the metabolic and antioxidant effects of diltiazemand vitamin E on streptozotocin-diabetic rats. J Vet Med A-Physiol PatholClin Med, 2004;51(6):265-267).

For additional information, contact A. Akdogan Kaymaz, Department ofInternal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University,Avcilar 34851, Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: aakaymaz@istanbul.edu.tr.

The publisher of the Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A - PhysiologyPathology Clinical Medicine can be contacted at: Blackwell Verlag GmbH,Kurfurstendamm 58, D-10707 Berlin, Germany.

The information in this article comes under the major subject areas ofDiabetes Therapy, Antioxidants, Vitamin E, and Endocrinology.

This article was prepared by Diabetes Week editors from staff and otherreports.