Effect of vitamin E supplementation on antioxidant status of diabetic rats

Streptozotocin (75 mg kg(-1) body weight) diabetic rats were supplemented with vitamin E (200 mg kg(-1) body weight) intraperitoneally twice a week for 5 weeks. The levels of plasma vitamin E, liver reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid and lipid peroxidation were determined. Diabetic rats showed increased lipid peroxidation, though not significantly so, but significantly decreased levels of plasma vitamin E (p < 0.01) and liver reduced glutathione (p < 0.05) as compared to control rats. However, in vitamin E-supplemented diabetic rats there was significantly lower lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05) in liver, although there was no significant recovery in levels of plasma vitamin E and reduced glutathione. These results indicate that vitamin E plays a protective role against lipid peroxidation produced as a result of experimental diabetes.