Dose dependent alteration in lipid and carbohydrate metabolites in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

1. A relationship is established between different doses of intraperitoneally injected streptozotocin (SZ) and the degree of hyperglycemia and hyperlipemia. 2. Changes in serum level of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and NEFA were determined after intraperitoneal administration of three different doses (55 mg, 85 mg and 125 mg/kg body weight) of SZ. Cholesterol level was significantly (P less than 0.001) elevated after 72 hrs only in the animals which received 85 mg/kg and 125 mg/kg SZ. 3. Dose dependent changes in NEFA and triglycerides could be observed after 24 hrs of SZ administration. 4. Diabetic animals consistently showed triphasic blood sugar response, initial hyperglycemia at 5-7 hrs, profound hypoglycemia in between 8-12 hrs and finally an irreversible hyperglycemic state by 24 hrs and onwards. 5. Liver and muscle glycogen were continuously decreased except a significant rise at 12 hrs coinciding with hypoglycemic phase. During the experimental period SZ treated rats continuously lost weight, while control animals progressively gained weight. In summary these changes indicated that diabetogenicity is dose dependent and the severity can be judged by elevated lipid metabolites.