title: Effect of C-peptide Alone or in Combination with Nicotinamide on Glucose and Insulin Levels in Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both C-peptide and nicotinamide are known to reduce blood glucose in type 1 diabetes. In the present study, the effects of C-peptide alone or in combination with nicotinamide on glucose and insulin levels in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used 70 adult male NMARI mice, weighing 25-35 g, divided into seven groups: control; type 1 diabetic; type 2 diabetic; type 2 diabetic + C-peptide; type 2 diabetic + nicotinamide; type 2 diabetic + nicotinamide and C-peptide; type 2 diabetic + glyburide. Type 2 diabetes was induced with ip injection of streptozotocin-nicotinamide. Twenty eight days after the onset of diabetes, treatment with C-peptide, nicotinamide, nicotinamide + C-peptide, or glyburide were initiated. Glucose and insulin levels were evaluated. One-way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference (LSD) tests were used to test for significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood glucose significantly increased (P < 0.001) in all diabetic mice compared with control mice. Insulin resistance and blood glucose levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in C-peptide and nicotinamide + C-peptide mice compared with type 2 diabetic mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study supports the anti-diabetic effects of C-peptide, nicotinamide + C-peptide, and suggests that one of the anti-diabetic mechanisms of these compounds is mediated through the reduction of insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Health Research Institute, Diabetes Research Center, Department of Physiology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 61335-189, Iran.
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahangarpour
authors.affiliation: School of medicine, Department of Physiology and Member of Student Research Committee of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz 61335-189, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramezani Ali Akbari
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Physiology Research Center of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 61335-189, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fathi Moghadam
keywords: C-peptide; diabetes type 2; insulin resistance; mice; nicotinamide