title: The role of N-acetylcysteine treatment on anti-oxidative status in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.
abstract: The development of diabetic complications has usually been attributed to the nonenzymic glycation of tissue proteins. Only recently, however, have researchers examined the possible role on free radicals in the pathogenesis of diabetes. In the present study, glutathione (GSH) and major antioxidant enzyme levels in plasma of patients with type II diabetes mellitus were assessed both before and after 3 months of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) therapy. Thirty-two diabetic patients were examined as well as fifteen healthy controls. Before treatment with NAC, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and (GSH) levels of diabetic patients and control subjects showed no significant differences, whereas glutathione S-transferase (GST) levels were higher in type II diabetic patients. Following 3 months of Following NAC supplementation, GSH, GST, and CAT levels were found to be similar to the levels before treatment. On the other hand, GPx activity was significantly lower compared with the values before treatment. According to this finding, NAC treatment could have a positive effect on GPx values in type II diabetic patients showing abnormally high values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. aozaydin@istanbul.edu.tr
authors.forename: Anil Cagla
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ozkilic
authors.forename: Mujgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cengiz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozaydin
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cobanoglu
authors.forename: Gonul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kanigur
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004798:Enzymes; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine