Effect of Taurine Supplementation on Hepatic Lipid Peroxide Metabolism in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of taurine supplementation time on the activity of the enzymes metabolizing lipid peroxide in the liver of streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats, Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed the purified diet for 7 weeks. They were supplemented with or without 1% taurine in drinking water before or after STZ injection or during all experimental procedure. In comparison to diabetic group without taurine, glucose-6-phosphatase(G6Pase) activity was decreased in diabetic group supplemented with taurine before STZ injection, and it was increased in diabetic group supplemented with taurine after STZ injection, but the difference was not significant. Glutathione S-transferase(GST) activity was significantly increased by the injection of STZ. However, the GST activities of diabetic groups exposed to taurine after STZ injection or during all experimental procedure were significantly decreased. Glutathione peroxidase(GPx) activities was significantly decreased by STZ injection. However, only in diabetic group supplemented with taurine before STZ injection, GPx activities was not decreased by the STZ injection. These results suggest that taurine supplementation may change the activities of GSH-related enzymes metabolizing lipid peroxide in the liver of streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats and that may be helpful for the prevention of diabetic complication.