[Comparative study among five different treatments on the clinical and laboratory changes in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes].
OBJECTIVE
The long-term effects of five different treatments of diabetes were evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.


METHODS
Seven experimental groups, with 50 rats each (GN--normal control; GD--untreated diabetic control; GI, GA, GIA--treated groups with insulin, acarbose, and insulin plus acarbose, respectively; GTIL, GTPD--treated groups with islet of Langerhans and pancreas transplantation) were studied. Clinical (body weight, water intake, food intake and urine output) and laboratory (blood and urinary glucose, and plasma insulin) parameters were analyzed at the beginning of the study, and after 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of follow-up.


RESULTS
Mortality was observed in all groups, except GN, during 12 months (GD = 50%; GI = 20%; GA = 26%; GIA = 18%; GTIL = 4%; GTPD = 20%). Rats from the GD, GI, and GIA groups died due to metabolic or hydrossaline disbalance, and/or pneumonia, diarrhoea, and cachexy. All deaths observed in GTIL and GTPD groups were in decorrence of technical failure at the immediate postoperative, until 72h. Animals from the GI, GA and GIA had significative improving of the clinical and laboratory parameters (p < 0,05) observed in diabetic rats, being the efficacy of theses treatments equal. However, rats from the GTIL and GTPD groups had better control of these parameters than GI, GA, and GIA groups. Transplanted rats had complete restoration, at the normal levels, of all analyzed variables (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Conventional treatments with insulin, acarbose, and insulin plus acarbose improved the severe diabetic state of the alloxan-diabetic rats, but pancreas and islet transplantation have a better performance for treatment of diabetes.
Spadella
César Tadeu
CT
Laboratório de Técnica Cirugía e Cirurgia Experimental da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (FMB) - UNESP.
Macedo
Célia Sperandéo
CS
Machado
José Lúcio Martins
JL
Schellini
Silvana Artioli
SA
Padovanni
Carlos Roberto
CR
D020909:Acarbose / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008297:Male; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
D007328:Insulin; D020909:Acarbose