The hypoglycemic effects after oral administration of vanadium have been studied previously in many species such as rats, mice and even humans. However, there has been no prior report on the glucose lowering effect of vanadium on diabetic dogs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic effects of oral vanadium on diabetic dogs. Diabetes mellitus in the dogs studied was induced by alloxan monohydrate intravenous injection. The dogs were divided into two groups, one was the diabetic control (DC) group (n = 4) and the other was the vanadium treated (DV) group (n = 6). Fresh water was supplied to the dogs in the DC group, but sodium metavanadate solution (0.1~0.2 mg/ml) was given to the dogs in DV group from one week after the alloxan injection. The fasting glucose levels, fructosamine and serum chemistry profiles were compared between the two groups weekly for three weeks. The fasting blood glucose levels in DV group were significantly lower than those in the DC group (p < 0.01). Fructosamine levels in the DV group were also lower than those in the DC group (p < 0.05). The serum chemistry profiles were not significantly different in comparisons between the two groups. However, the cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the DV group compared to the DC group (p < 0.05). Our findings showed that oral vanadium administration had a hypoglycemic effect on chemically induced diabetic dogs.
Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Alkaline Phosphatase/blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Blood Glucose/metabolism ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Chlorides/blood ; Cholesterol/blood ; Creatinine/blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/blood/*drug therapy ; Dog Diseases/blood/*drug therapy ; Dogs ; Female ; Fructosamine/blood ; Hypoglycemic Agents/*pharmacology ; Male ; Pancreas/drug effects/pathology ; Potassium/blood ; Random Allocation ; Sodium/blood ; Triglycerides/blood ; Vanadates/*pharmacology

This study examined the effects of ascorbic acid on the attenuation of an ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury after a canine renal transplantation. Eight beagle dogs were subjected to a renal auto-transplantation followed by the administration of ascorbic acid (treatment group) and the same amount of vehicle (physiological saline, control group). Blood samples were collected from these dogs to perform the kidney function tests and the invasive blood pressure was measured in the renal artery at pre- and post-anastomosis. The antioxidant enzymes of level 72 h after the transplant were measured. The kidneys were taken for a histopathology evaluation at day 21. The kidney function tests showed a significant difference between the control and treatment group. The invasive blood pressure in the renal artery was similar in the groups. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes in the blood plasma was significant lower in the control group than in the treatment group. The histopathology findings revealed the treatment group to have less damage than the control group. The results of this study suggest that ascorbic acid alone might play a role in attenuating I/R injury and assist in the recovery of the renal function in a renal transplantation model.
Animals ; Ascorbic Acid/*therapeutic use ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Catalase/blood ; Creatinine/blood ; Dog Diseases/blood/*drug therapy/pathology ; Dogs/*surgery ; Female ; Free Radical Scavengers/therapeutic use ; Glutathione Peroxidase/blood ; Histocytochemistry/veterinary ; Kidney Transplantation/pathology/*veterinary ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Reperfusion Injury/blood/drug therapy/pathology/*veterinary ; Superoxide Dismutase/blood