Characterization of a type 2 diabetes model in female Wistar rats

Objective. Characterization of a type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) model in female rats. Materials and methods. 20, 48 hour-old wistar female rats were used; 10 were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (STZ) [135 mg/kg body weight] in 50 ?l citrate buffer pH 4.5 (induced group) and 10 were injected with 50 ?l of citrate buffer (control group). Results. The induced group had average glycemias of 7.8±2 mmol/L (52.9%; p<0.005) and a body weight of 334.4±12 g (51.6 g lower than the control group; p<0.05) at the end of the treatment. The cholesterol concentration was two-fold higher in the induced group. Triglyceride concentration was not different during the first month, but it was 50% higher on the second month for the induced group (p<0.05). The concentration of glycated hemoglobin was 4.3% for the control group and 5.9% for the induced group (p<0.05). The glucose tolerance curve was altered in the induced group with blood glucose concentrations in diabetic animals over 7.4 mmol/L until 240 min. Conclusions. According to the parameters currently used for diagnostic and control of diabetes in humans, the results displayed in this study support the development of a DM2 model in female rats through the use of STZ.