Comparative trial of N-acetyl-cysteine, taurine, and oxerutin on skin and kidney damage in long-term experimental diabetes.
This study analyzes the effect of chronic treatment with different antioxidants (N-acetyl-cysteine [NAC], taurine, a combination of NAC and taurine, and oxerutin) on long-term experimental diabetes induced by streptozotocin in rats. Glycoxidative damage was evaluated in the skin; glomerular structural changes were studied with morphometry and immunohistochemistry. Oxerutin treatment and the combined NAC plus taurine treatment resulted in reduced accumulation of collagen-linked fluorescence in skin in comparison with untreated diabetic rats. All treatments except taurine reduced glomerular accumulation of N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine and protected against the increase in glomerular volume typical of diabetes; furthermore, the apoptosis rate was significantly decreased and the glomerular cell density was better preserved. Glycoxidative markers in the skin turned out to be good indicators of the glomerular condition. The findings that emerged from our study support the hypothesis that glomerular damage in diabetes can be prevented or at least attenuated by supplementation with specific antioxidants. Treatment with oxerutin and combined treatment with NAC plus taurine gave the most encouraging results, whereas the results of taurine-only treatment were either negligible or negative and therefore suggest caution in the use of this molecule in single-drug treatment courses.
Odetti
Patrizio
P
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Italy.
Pesce
Carlo
C
Traverso
Nicola
N
Menini
Stefano
S
Maineri
Elena Pesce
EP
Cosso
Luana
L
Valentini
Sabina
S
Patriarca
Stefania
S
Cottalasso
Damiano
D
Marinari
Umberto M
UM
Pronzato
Maria Adelaide
MA
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000473:pathology; D006896:Hydroxyethylrutoside / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000925:Anticoagulants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006896:Hydroxyethylrutoside; D013654:Taurine; C005865:troxerutin; D003094:Collagen; D000111:Acetylcysteine