Alterations in somatostatin cells and biochemical parameters following zinc supplementation in gastrointestinal tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes is a major causative factor of free radical generation which further leads to many secondary diabetic complications via the damage to cellular proteins, membrane lipids, and nucleic acids. Zinc is an essential trace element in all living systems and plays a structural role in many proteins and enzymes. Somatostatin is known to have inhibitory effects on various gastrointestinal functions. Therefore, we determined somatostatin protein production and secretion levels, and biochemical and light microscopical changes following zinc supplementation in the gastrointestinal tract of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. The animals were divided into four groups: Group I: control (untreated) animals; Group II: control animals given zinc sulfate; Group III: diabetic animals; and Group IV: diabetic animals given zinc sulfate. Zinc sulfate was given to the animals by gavage at a daily dose of 100 mg/kg body weight for 60 days. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of STZ in a single dose of 65 mg/kg. For histological studies, stomach and duodenum tissues were fixed in Bouin solution and sections stained with Masson's trichrome and Periodic-Acid-Schiff. Tissue homogenates were used for protein, lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione (GSH), and nonenzymatic glycosylation (NEG) analyses. Zinc supplementation to the STZ-diabetic rats revealed the protective effect of zinc on these parameters. Zinc supplementation may contribute to prevent at least some complications of diabetes mellitus.