[Lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats with alloxan diabetes]

Experiments on white male rats were performed to study lipid peroxidation in the rat liver at varying times of the development of alloxan diabetes. After administering alloxan in a dose of 16 mg/100 g bw both non-enzymatic and enzymatic lipid peroxidation in the liver was substantially activated, while the blood glucose level ascended. Injection of insulin to rats with alloxan diabetes entailed a reduction of the blood glucose content and the formation of the final product of lipid peroxidation, malonic aldehyde (during non-enzymatic process). Pretreatment of the rats with alloxan diabetes with the synthetic antioxidant BHT in a dose of 30 mg/kg bw prevented activation of lipid peroxidation, substantially decreasing the blood glucose content. It is concluded that the alloxan-induced activation of lipid peroxidation plays an essential role in the mechanism of alloxan action.