title: Effects of melatonin on biochemical factors and food and water consumption in diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic neuropathy is one of the serious problems due to microvessel vasculopathy in diabetes. It has been reported that hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia are the underlying mechanisms in inducing and progression of diabetic neuropathy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of melatonin on serum glucose and lipid levels, as well as food consumption and water intake in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to six groups including; normal control group, diabetic control group and 4 diabetic experimental groups that received melatonin intraperitoneally at doses of 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg at the end of sixth week after verification of neuropathy by means of evaluation of sciatic nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), for two weeks. Blood glucose and lipid levels, body weight, the amounts of food consumption, and water intake were determined in all groups at weeks 0 (before diabetes induction), 3, 6, and at the end of eighth week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with melatonin reduced significantly the serum glucose (P < 0.001) and triglyceride (P < 0.05) levels, food consumption (P < 0.001), and water intake (P < 0.001) in diabetic rats at the end of eighth week. However, melatonin had no significant effect on body weight of diabetic animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with melatonin could improve several signs of diabetes, including hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, polyphagia, and polydipsia. Therefore, melatonin may be used as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnourd, Iran.
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bibak
authors.affiliation: Neurocognitive Research Center and Department of Physiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Monavareh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ziba
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rajaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soukhtanloo
authors.affiliation: Neurocognitive Research Center and Department of Physiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mousa-Al-Reza
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hadjzadeh
authors.affiliation: Neurocognitive Research Center and Department of Physiology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Parichehr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hayatdavoudi
keywords: Diabetic neuropathy; food consumption; hyperglycemia; hyperlipidemia; melatonin; water intake