US EPA

3235016 

Journal Article 

L-arginine ameliorates oxidative stress in alloxan-induced experimental diabetes mellitus 

El-Missiry, MA; Othman, AI; Amer, MA 

2004 

Yes 

Journal of Applied Toxicology
ISSN: 0260-437X
EISSN: 1099-1263 

24 

2 

93-97 

10.1002/jat.952 

WOS:000220701400002 

Oxidative stress occurs in diabetic patients and
experimental models of diabetes. The ability Of L-arginine to ameliorate the oxidative stress and
metabolic changes after treatment with altoxan was investigated in rats. Adult male rats were
injected intraperitoneally with 100 mg kg(-1) of alloxan to produce experimental oxidative stress
characteristic of diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycaemia and hypercholesterolaemia were observed in
serum after 7 days of alloxan treatment. This was associated with a depression of glutathione
(GSH) concentration as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the
liver and brain. In addition, the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were
significantly elevated, indicating increased lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in the same
tissues. Administration of 100 mg kg(-1) L-arginine for 7 days either before or after altoxan
injection significantly ameliorated the oxidative stress evidenced by a lower TBARS and a higher
level of the endogenous GSH concentration and SOD and CAT activities than altoxan-treated rats.
These effects were paralleled by marked protection and partial prophylaxis against alloxan-
induced hyperglycaemia and chotesterolaemia. Thus, these results showed that exogenously
administered L-arginine might improve the clinical manifestation of diabetes mellitus and
decrease the oxidative stress in the liver and brain. In addition, the study supports the
beneficial effect Of L-arginine, which might be attributed to its direct, NO-dependent
antioxidant capacity and/or NO-independent pathways. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd. 

antioxidants; lipid peroxidation; free radicals; glucose; cholesterol