title: Thymoquinone enhances the activities of enzymes related to energy metabolism in peripheral leukocytes of diabetic rats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of glycemic control using thymoquinone (TQ) on energy metabolism related enzymes in leukocytes of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The treatment of both TQ and insulin commenced 4weeks after induction of diabetes. Plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels were significantly reduced after TQ treatment, whereas immunoreactive insulin (IRI) showed significant increase. The activities of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) in cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions of peripheral blood leukocytes were significantly higher in rats treated with TQ and insulin as compared to that in diabetic controls. On the other hand the activities of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) showed no significant changes between groups. ML ratio (cytosolic MDH/LDH specific activity ratio) was restored to those in the control rats. The results of this study demonstrate that TQ significantly increased insulin level and the activities of cytosolic and mitochondrial MDH in leukocytes of STZ-diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, 13736 Moshtohor, Toukh, Qalioubeya, Egypt. fararhk@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Khalid M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fararh
authors.forename: Adel K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Yakot A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Elsonosy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013311:Streptozocin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; C003466:thymoquinone