Glutathione-related detoxication functions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

In order to analyze the detoxication functions in rats with diabetes induced by streptozotocin, the authors administered to the diabetic animals two drugs, ethionine and benzo(a)pyrene, which affect mainly the liver and are metabolized through a glutathione conjugation process, and examined the changes in the content of glutathione and activities of related enzymes in the liver. In the liver of the rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, the total glutathione content, glutathione S-transferase activity and glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase activity were lower than those of normal rat livers, while the glutathione peroxidase activity showed high values. Although specific changes in the glutathione-related detoxication functions were observed in the rats to which ethionine or benzo(a)pyrene had been administered, these changes were not revealed under diabetic conditions. It is suggested that in diabetic rats responses to toxic stimuli are suppressed.