[The history of experimental diabetes in Iaşi ]

Department of Pathophysiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania has a long tradition in studying the diabetes mellitus. The series of experimental studies in diabetes was open by Iulius Nitulescu. His work was focused on the carbohydrate metabolism, and the paper entitled "Sur le metabolisme du sucre chez les vieilliards. L'epreuve de l'hyperglycemie alimentaire" was published in 1933. Later, in 1965, Aurel Sneer introduced the experimental model of diabetes mellitus induced by the alloxan. In 1970, it was for the first time in the medical literature when the importance of lysosomal enzyme discharge was revealed in alloxan-induced diabetes. In the early 70s, the factors conditioning the carbohydrate homeostasis were studied. Starting with 1990, the research was directed to investigate the role of microelements, zinc and magnesium, in the pathogenesis of beta cells injury and chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. Since 1993, our studies have been focused on the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. The effects of exogenous antioxidants, probucol and vitamin E, on the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, on the markers of oxidative stress, and on the platelet activity were investigated in alloxan-induced diabetes. More than 50 scientifical papers on experimental diabetes and four monographs were published in the last 40 years by the researchers of our department.