[Free radical reactions in juvenile rats treated with streptozotocin]

Male, weaned Wistar albino rats (n = 8) were treated by single dose of intravenous 50 mg/bodyweight-kg streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and scavenger capacity of red blood cells and liver homogenates were evaluated and compared to the respective values of the control group (n = 9) after 3 weeks. HbAlc was significantly higher (p < 0.005) in the STZ treated group. Plasma triglyceride also showed a marked elevation compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Scavenger capacity in erythrocytes was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in treated animals while no change was observed in liver homogenates. No alteration was observed in the superoxide dismutase activity of treated animals, but catalase activity was weaker (p < 0.05). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were in higher concentration in plasma of STZ treated animals (p < 0.01) and were in comparable amount in homogenates. The results suggest that 3 weeks after STZ treatment of rats, alterations can be observed in the scavenger system and of the examined tissues changes are most prominent in erythrocytes.