Biological activity of vanadium compounds

Vanadium compounds are characterised by a load spectrum of action in vivi and in vitro. Their insulin-mimetic activity is manifested in their ability to normalize changes observed in both slinical and experimental diabetes (i.e. hyperglycemia, hyperlipidaemia, loweder cell sensitivity to insulin) through the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and the removal of secondary symptoms of this disease (as e.g. retinopathy, cardiomypathy, nephropathy). Neverless, vanadium is considered to be a toxic element in both cationic and anionic form, although the chemical structure, geometry, and the manner of synthesis of its derivatives also contribute to this elevated toxicity. Besides their antidiabetic properties, vanadium derivatives have also been observed to influence processes related to mitogenic cell responses (apoptosis, proliferation, neoplastic transformations). However, both anti- and pro-neoplastic properties of vanadium are reported. (c) Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Heidelberg, All rights reserved.