Zinc Citrate Influence on Antioxidant Defence in Rats’ Liver and Pancreatic Gland during Experimentally Diabetes

The purpose of the article is to present data towards the zinc citrate action of on the activity of antioxidant system enzymes and the content of reduced glutathione and products of peroxide oxidation of lipids in liver and pancreatic tissues of rats under the condition of experimental streptozotocin – induced diabetes mellitus. The experiment was conducted on white laboratory rats, which were divided into four groups: I – the control group, II, III and IV – the experimental groups. Animals of the 3rd and 4th groups received zinc citrate solution in amount of 20 and 50 mg Zn/kg bodyweight dosage to a basic diet during a month. Experimental diabetes mellitus was induced in animals of all experimental groups after 24-hour fasting. Antioxidant defence indicators were determined in the homogenates of the liver and pancreas of the rats. There was a decrease in the activity of enzymes AOC and the content of reduced glutathione in tissues of animals of the group II compared to the group I – control, but in animals of groups III and IV the growth of the studied indices compared to the control group was observed. Researching the content of lipid hydroperoxides and TBC-active products in tissues of rats, the growth of their content in animals of the experimental group II compared to the control group was noticed. At the same time, in animals of III and IV groups, the levels of these indices were normalized, indicating the activation of antioxidant processes under the action of zinc citrate. The obtained results indicate that zinc citrate added to the diet of rats causes a decrease in lipid peroxidation processes in the studied tissues due to the activation of the antioxidant system. Due to its antioxidant properties, it can be used as a component of biologically active additives to prevent diabetes.