title: Effect of short- and long-term diabetes on carnitine and myo-inositol in rats.
abstract: 1. The effect of short- (2 wk) and long-term (20 wk) streptozotocin diabetes was studied on urine, blood, liver, heart, brain, skeletal muscle, pancreas and kidney concentrations of acid-soluble carnitine and free myo-inositol. 2. Short-term diabetic rats excreted significantly higher concentrations of carnitine as well as myoinositol than normal rats. Blood carnitine and myo-inositol were not different between normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes caused a decrease in liver, brain and pancreatic carnitine, but not in heart, skeletal muscle and kidney. Myo-inositol concentration was decreased in liver, heart and kidney but not in brain, pancreas and skeletal muscle. 3. Long-term diabetic rats had higher urinary excretions of both carnitine and myo-inositol. Blood carnitine did not change; however, myo-inositol was higher in diabetic than in normal rats. Diabetes caused a significant increase in liver and a decrease in heart, brain, skeletal muscle and pancreatic content of carnitine; no difference in kidney carnitine was noted. Myo-inositol content was elevated only in liver of diabetic rats. 4. We suggest that carnitine and myo-inositol concentrations are influenced both by short- and long-term diabetes through changes in tissue metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Reddi
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Jyothirmayi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: DeAngelis
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002331:Carnitine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D004231:Diuresis / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007294:Inositol; D002331:Carnitine