[Gastrointestinal alterations in diabetes mellitus: oxidative stress and blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery--experimental study].
BACKGROUND
Gastrointestinal symptoms are frequent in diabetes mellitus and may be related to the oxidative stress, which is defined by an imbalance between the pro-oxidant and antioxidant systems.


OBJECTIVE
To assess some of the gastrointestinal changes in the diabetes mellitus model, such as the oxidative stress in the stomach and liver of diabetic animals and the blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery at different times of study.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats weighing 250-350 g were used and ascribed to four different groups as follows: group I--7 days of diabetes, group II--30 days of diabetes, group III--60 days of diabetes, and group IV--90 days of diabetes. Diabetes was obtained by administering streptozotocin (70 mg/kg) intraperitoneally.


RESULTS
A significant increase in liver and stomach lipoperoxidation of diabetic animals was found only at 90 days. A significant decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase e glutathione transferase was found in stomach, whereas in liver only glutathione transferase was significantly decreased. The blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery of animals with 90 days of diabetes was increased as compared to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible to suppose that the increase in the oxidative stress in stomach and liver as well as the change in the blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery are affected by the length of diabetes and the hyperglycemia found in the animals studied, which would determine gastrointestinal changes.
Dias
Alexandre Simões
AS
Laboratório de Fisiologia Digestiva, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS.
Llesuy
Susana
S
Marroni
Cláudio Augusto
CA
Marroni
Norma
N
D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
D002374:Catalase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase