The effect of thyroid hormones on blood insulin level and metabolic parameters in diabetic rats

The effect of exogenous thyroid hormones on blood insulin and metabolic parameters in diabetic rats was investigated. Three groups of rats were treated with streptozotocin (STZ; 50 mg/kg b.w., intravenously) and one group receiving only saline served as control. Beginning with the third day after ST...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physiology and biochemistry 2003-06, Vol.59 (2), p.71-76
Main Authors: Szkudelski, T, Michalski, W, Szkudelska, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - metabolism
Energy Metabolism - drug effects
Hyperglycemia - drug therapy
Hyperglycemia - metabolism
Insulin - blood
Lipid Metabolism
Male
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Thyroxine - pharmacology
Triiodothyronine - pharmacology
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Summary:The effect of exogenous thyroid hormones on blood insulin and metabolic parameters in diabetic rats was investigated. Three groups of rats were treated with streptozotocin (STZ; 50 mg/kg b.w., intravenously) and one group receiving only saline served as control. Beginning with the third day after STZ treatment, until the last day before decapitation, i.e. for 11 days, two groups of diabetic rats were treated with T3 (50 microg/kg b.w., i.p.) or T4 (250 microg/kg b.w., i.p.). After two weeks, STZ injected rats had lower body weight, hyperglycemia with a simultaneous drop in blood insulin and decrease of T3 and T4 concentrations in comparison to control animals. Liver glycogen content was also reduced, whereas serum lactate, free fatty acids, triglycerides and cholesterol were elevated. Exogenous thyroid hormones given to diabetic rats substantially attenuated hyperglycemia without any significant changes in blood insulin concentration. An additional reduction of body weight gain and depletion in liver glycogen stores were also observed. Thyroid hormones augmented serum lactate and cholesterol and had no beneficial effect on elevated free fatty acids and triglycerides. It can be concluded that in spite of partial restriction of hyperglycemia, thyroid hormones evoked several unfavourable changes strongly limiting their potential use in diabetes.
ISSN:1138-7548
1877-8755
DOI:10.1007/BF03179872