[Hypoglycemic effect of nicotinamide in rats with alloxan diabetes]

Experimentally-induced alloxan diabetes was characterized in rats by a marked increase in the blood glucose level and by a number of disturbances in the concentration of metabolites and the activity of the enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in the liver. Stimulation of gluconeogenesis in diabetes was judged by reduction of the redox condition of free NAD- and NADP-couples, by the increase in the concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate, malic oxaloacetate and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity of the liver. Nicotinamide in a dose of 50 mg per 100 g of body weight caused a marked reduction in the blood glucose level of diabetic rats. An increase of the [NAD+]/[NADN], [NADP+]/[NADPN] ratio, a reduction of the concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate, malate and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity pointed to the inhibition of gluconeogenesis and stimulation of glycolysis in the liver of diabetic rats given nicotinamide.