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Evaluation of the Actions of Metformin and Taurine, Singly and in Combination, on Metabolic and Oxidative Alterations Caused by Diabetes in Rat Erythrocytes and Plasma

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Taurine 9

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 803))

Abstract

This study has compared the actions of metformin (MET) and taurine (TAU), singly and in combination, on diabetes-induced metabolic and oxidative alterations in a chemical rat model of diabetes. Groups of six male Sprague-Dawley rats, 225–250 g, were used in the study. Diabetes was induced on day 1 with streptozotocin, 60 mg/kg, i.p. The rats were then separately treated with MET, TAU or MET plus TAU, each at a 2.4 mM/kg/day p.o., or with insulin, 4 U/kg/day s.c., from day 15 to day 56. Blood samples were collected on day 57. One portion was assayed for HbA1c and the other was used to obtain plasma and red blood cells (RBCs). The plasma was used to measure glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin levels, and indices of oxidative stress; and the RBCs were analyzed for hemoglobin content, membrane ratio of cholesterol to phospholipids, and indices of oxidative stress. In comparison to normal rats, diabetic ones showed a marked increase in plasma glucose and blood HbA1c level, a lower plasma insulin, and evidence of significant hemolysis. In addition, oxidative stress was detected in the plasma and RBCs, and the RBC membrane ratio of cholesterol to phospholipids was higher in diabetic than in normal specimens. MET was more effective than TAU in attenuating the changes in circulating glucose, insulin and HbA1c levels, about equipotent in lowering changes in RBC membrane lipids and in preserving the RBC redox status, and weaker in attenuating changes in indices of oxidative stress. When used together, TAU was found to enhance the antioxidant actions of MET both in the plasma and RBCs. The present results suggest that MET and TAU are more protective against diabetes-induced metabolic and oxidative alterations when used together than separately, probably because of complementary actions.

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Abbreviations

CAT:

Catalase

GPx:

Glutathione peroxidase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

GSSG:

Glutathione disulfide

HbA1c :

Glycated hemoglobin

INS:

Insulin

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

MET:

Metformin

RBCs:

Erythrocytes

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

STZ:

Streptozotocin

TAU:

Taurine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s University, Jamaica, NY, 11439, USA

    Roshil Budhram, Kashyap G. Pandya & Cesar A. Lau-Cam

Authors
  1. Roshil Budhram
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  2. Kashyap G. Pandya
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  3. Cesar A. Lau-Cam
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Correspondence to Cesar A. Lau-Cam .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Immunology, Medical College Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

    Janusz Marcinkiewicz

  2. Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA

    Stephen W. Schaffer

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Budhram, R., Pandya, K.G., Lau-Cam, C.A. (2015). Evaluation of the Actions of Metformin and Taurine, Singly and in Combination, on Metabolic and Oxidative Alterations Caused by Diabetes in Rat Erythrocytes and Plasma. In: Marcinkiewicz, J., Schaffer, S. (eds) Taurine 9. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 803. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15126-7_21

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