title: Beneficial effect of vitamin E on the metabolic parameters of diabetic rats.
abstract: The role of vitamin E in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of oral administration of vitamin E on some of the metabolic parameters of experimental diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight at 12 weeks of age). Vitamin E (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally for a period of 3 weeks to normal and diabetic Wistar rats. In some experiments, Vitamin E was given either before or after the induction of diabetes mellitus. Blood glucose level and weight were recorded for each rat in different groups on a weekly basis. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on fasted normal, diabetic and vitamin E treated rats at the end of the experiment. Vitamin E significantly (p < 0.01) reduced blood glucose levels in experimental diabetes mellitus at all doses as compared to untreated rats. Vitamin E induced weight loss in normal as well as in diabetic rats. The beneficial effect of vitamin E on the hyperglycaemia of diabetic rats was dose-dependent. Moreover, vitamin E also improved OGTT in diabetic rats compared to untreated diabetics. In conclusion, vitamin E may play a role in glucose metabolism and thus be a useful adjuvant therapy in type I diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Maryam S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al Shamsi
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adeghate
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D014810:Vitamin E