EFFECT OF MELATONIN INJECTIONS ON THE GLUTATHIONE SYSTEM IN HEART TISSUE OF RATS UNDER EXPERIMENTAL DIABETES

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Endocrinology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Alloxan-induced diabetes in rats leads to significant oxidative stress in heart tissue.
• Diabetic cardiomyopathy is characterized by altered glucose metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity.
• Melatonin is a hormone with known antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of melatonin on basal glucose levels and oxidative stress markers in the heart of diabetic rats.
• To assess the impact of melatonin on antioxidant defense systems, including glutathione and related enzymes.

Main Methods:

• Alloxan monohydrate was used to induce diabetes in rats.
• Experimental groups included control, diabetic, and diabetic rats treated with melatonin.
• Key biochemical parameters in heart tissue were measured: basal glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive compounds (TBCRC), reduced glutathione (GSH), and activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PhD).

Main Results:

• Diabetic rats exhibited significantly increased TBCRC levels and decreased GSH, GPx, G-6-PhD, and GR activity in heart tissue.
• Melatonin administration to diabetic rats resulted in a reduction in basal glucose levels.
• Melatonin treatment helped stabilize antioxidant defense indices, including TBCRC, GSH, GR, GPx, and G-6-PhD levels in the heart.

Conclusions:

• Melatonin demonstrates a protective effect against oxidative stress in the heart of diabetic rats.
• Melatonin may be a potential therapeutic agent for managing diabetic complications related to oxidative damage in cardiac tissue.