Abstract:

Aim: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder principally characterized by an elevation in oxidative stress levels. Ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury starts a cascade of events that lead to tissue ischaemia and cellular damage produced by reperfusion causing an inflammatory like response.  Erythrocyte deformability and plasma viscosity are important clinical implications for organ and tissue perfusion. Recent studies have found that picroside-2 has antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-inflamatory effects.   The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of picroside-2 on erythrocyte deformability and lipid peroxidation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats subjected to left anterior descending (LAD) artery IR. Methods: The animals were randomly assigned to one of five experimental groups. In Group (control) C, DC (diabetes-control group), and DP (diabetes-picroside-2 group) neither coronary artery occlusion nor reperfusion were performed in the control rats. In Group DIR, a branch of the LAD artery was occluded for 45 minutes followed by 90 minutes of reperfusion to produce IR. In Group DIRP, picroside-2 was administrated via 10 mg.kg-1 inraperitoneal (IP) route 30 minutes before ligating the LAD artery. Serum malondialdehyde and nitric oxide activities were investigated to document lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte deformability index. Results: Deformability index was notably increased in diabetic rats (p<0.0001). It was notably increased in Group DIR when compared to Group C, DC, DP and DIRP (p<0.0001, p=0.009, p=0.013, p=0.009, respectively). MDA level and NO activity were also higher in IR group than the other groups. Conclusion: Erythrocyte deformability index was decreased in rats with diabetes and IR injury. This injury may lead to further microcirculatory problems. Picroside 2 was shown to be useful in reducing the side effects of this kind of injury. 

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