Lipid peroxidation, glutathione levels and changes in glutathione-related enzyme activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Levels of lipid peroxidation in liver, kidney, brain and blood, liver glutathione (GSH) and several enzymes in liver tissue associated with antioxidant defence mechanism, namely Catalase (EC: 1.11.1.6), GSH reductase (EC:1.6.4.2) and GSH-S-transferase (EC: 2.5.1.18), were investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) caused a four-, eight- and seven-fold increase in lipid peroxidation in brain, liver and kidney, respectively. A decline in GSH levels both in blood (two-fold) and liver (16%) compared with normal counterparts was also observed. A marginal increase in catalase activity, a 20% decrease in GSH reductase and an increase of GSH-S-transferase activity was also found in this experimental diabetic condition. These results suggest experimental diabetes, induced by streptozotocin, can produce biochemical changes not only in pancreas but also in liver, kidney and brain tissue.