Abstract:
This study was performed to determine gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT) and total antioxidant capacity(TAC) and examine the liver, kidney, heart changes in alloxan-induced diabetes. 40 wistar rats of both sexes weighing between 160g-210g were divided into two groups A (control) and B (diabetic) consisting of 20 rats each. Group A received normal saline while group B were given a single dose of alloxan monohydrate at 150mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally. On 3rd and 5th weeks respectively, 10 rats from each group were sacrificed, blood samples collected and organs excised for biochemical and histological studies. The mean serum GGT concentration of the diabetic group at 3 and 5 weeks (4.0±0.2iu/l and 4.4±0.2iu/l respectively) were significantly higher (p<0.001) when compared to the control group (0.8±0.2iu/l and 0.8±0.1iu/l) at 3 and 5 weeks respectively while the mean serum TAC of the diabetic group at 3 and 5 weeks (0.8±0.1mmol/l and 0.6±0.1mmol/l) respectively were significantly lower (p<0.001) when compared to the control (1.6±0.1mmol/l and 1.7±0.1mmol/l) at 3 and 5 weeks respectively. There was a significant negative correlation (p<0.001) between GGT and TAC in the experimental groups (r = -0.707 and r = -0.897) at 3 and 5 weeks respectively. There was a significant increase in the body weights of the control group while the diabetic group showed a significant decrease in their body weights (p<0.05).The mean Urea, Creatinine, ALT, AST, TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C, TG, FPG and HbA1c values were significantly increased (p<0.001) in the diabetic group when compared to the control group while the mean serum HDL-C value of the diabetic group decreased significantly (p<0.001) when compared to the control at 3 and 5 weeks of the study. From this study, persistent hyperglycaemia resulted in a number of biochemical and pathological abnormalities in the diabetic rats while the non-diabetic rats were normoglycaemic and showed no biochemical or pathological changes. The study suggests that diabetes results to oxidative stress with GGT and TAC serving as reliable markers, and the pathological and biochemical changes in liver, kidney and heart may be regarded as complications of diabetes in these organs.
