Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder caused by a defect in the secretion or function of insulin. Arginine is an amino acid that is lower in these patients. Octopine is an arginine derivative. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effect of opine on glucose and stress oxidative indices in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Methods: In this study, 16 male mice were divided into two groups including diabetic and non-diabetic controls and 16 male mice in two experimental groups. The first experimental group received opine treatment at 50 mg and second experimental group received opine treatment at 100 mg of opine for 3 weeks. Diabetes was induced in diabetic rats through intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg of Streptozotocin. Blood samples were enrolled from mice in fasting status and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured by thiobarbituric acid method, glucose levels using Pars-Azmoon Company Kit, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity using Randox (England) kits.
Results: The opine consumption had no significant effect on serum glucose and MDA, while 50 mg opine treatment significantly increased the activity of SOD and GPX enzymes in comparison with diabetic rats.
Conclusion: The consumption of octopine had no improving effect on blood glucose levels but it improved antioxidant status in diabetic rats.