Abstract :
The in vivo effects of three oral hypoglycaemic drugs, daonil (a glibenclamide) diabenese (a sulphonylurea) and glucophage (a metformin) on erythrocyte glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity of Wister albino rats (Rattus rattus) were monitored at drug concentrations of 0.00, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03mg/200g body weight. The effects of the drugs were monitored for fourteen days at intervals of 1, 2, 6, and 14 day(s) following administration of each drug. Three rats were used per each drug concentration per time interval (days).GST activity was monitored at pH 7.4 and at 37°C. Daonil significantly (P 0.05) raised GST activity in a concentration dependent manner with optimal activation obtained at a concentration of 0.03mg/200g body weight and on the sixth day of drug administration. For instance, at drug concentrations of 0.00, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03mg/200g body weight and at 6th day of administration, GST activity (IU/L) of 0.83± 0.05, 2.17± 0.06, 3.60± 0.03 and 5.44 ± 0.04 were obtained respectively. The increase in enzyme activity following drug administration was progressive with time duration (days). Maximum effect was obtained on the sixth day, with a decline on the 14th day.Glucophage and diabenese also exhibited the same effect, as daonil on rat erythrocyte GST. For example, at diabenese concentrations of 0.00, 0.02 and 0.03mg/200g body weight, GST activities (IU/L) of 0.083 ± 0.06, 3.96 ±0.10, 5.84 ± 0.03 and 11.40 ± 0.07 were respectively obtained. Also, at the same levels of concentrations, of glucophage, GST activity levels (IU/L) of 0.83 ± 0.06, 3.03 ± 0.09, 5.61 ± 0.05 and 6.84 ± 0.01 were respectively obtained. Comparatively, the activation of the erythrocyte enzyme by the drugs (on the 6th day of administration) was in the order: Diabenese glucophage Daonil. The implications of these findings to the functional integrity of erythrocytes are discussed in this work.
Keywords :
Daonil , diabenese , erythrocyte , glucophage , glutathione , S , transferase , Hypoglycaemia , metformin.
