Influence of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats on the lithium content of tissue and the effect of dietary lithium supplements on this diabetic condition.
To study the effects of lithium supplementation on the diabetic condition, we measured the lithium concentration in the liver, kidney, and muscle from streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that were either treated or untreated with peroral lithium carbonate (0.3 mg/mL). The data showed that the lithium content of the liver and muscle was significantly lower in STZ rats than in normal control rats (0.22 +/- 0.05 v 1.30 +/- 0.15, P < .01, and 0.79 +/- 0.30 v 2.48 +/- 2.00 microg/g, respectively). After 4 weeks of lithium carbonate supplementation, we found that (1) the lithium content of the liver and muscle returned to the normal range, (2) the extent of STZ-mediated destruction of beta cells in the pancreas decreased, (3) fasting blood glucose (FBG) and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (PBG) decreased (P < .05), (4) among the indicators of oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses, blood lipid peroxidate (LPO) decreased and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (RBC-SOD) and glutathione (GSH) returned to normal, and (5) hepatic LPO decreased and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) increased. These results suggest that the restoration of lithium to control levels in the liver and muscle of diabetic animals is associated not only with decreased blood glucose but also with reduced oxidative stress, and consequently with the protection of insulin-secreting pancreatic islet cells.
Hu
M
M
Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hunan Medical University, Changsha, China.
Wu
Y
Y
Wu
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology; D008094:Lithium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium