Effects of Some Oral Hypoglycaemic Drugs on Erythrocyte Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Hydrogen Diaphorase (E.C.1.6.4.3) Activity of Wistar Alibino Rats (Rattus rattus)
*Uzuegbu, U.E. and **Onuoha, S.C.
*Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Warri, Nigeria.
**Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
E-mail: efiyugos@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The in vivo effects of three oral hypoglycaemic drugs, daonil (a glubenclanude), diabenes (a sulphonyclurea) and glucophage (a metformun) on erythrocyte nicotinamide adenine dinocleotide hydrogen (NADH) activity of wistar albino rats (Rattus rattus) were monitored at drug concentrations of 0.00, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03mg/200g body weight. The effects of the drugs were monitored for fourteen days at intervals of 1, 2, 6 and 14 day(s) following administration of each drug. Three rats were used per each drug concentration per time interval (days). NADH diaphorase activity was monitored at a pH 8.0 at 37oC. Daonil significantly (P<0.05) activated NADH-diaphorase activity in a concentration dependent manner with an optimal activation obtained at a concentration of 0.03mg/200g body weight and on the sixth day of drug administration. For instance, at drug concentration of 0.00, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03mg/200g body weight and at 6th day of administration; NADH diaphorase activity (iu/L) of 6.80 ± 0.65, 10.17 ± 0.69, 10.35 ± 0.97 and 11.44 ± 0.82 were obtained respectively. The increase in enzyme activity following drug administration was progressive with time duration (days).Maximum effect was obtained on the sixth day with a decline on the 14th day. And 0.03mg/200g body weight, NADH activities (iu/L) of 6.70 ± 1.16, 14.74 ± 0.04, 19.50 ± 0.15 and 20.53 ± 0.57 were obtained on the sixth day. Comparatively, the activation of the erythrocyte enzyme by the drug (on the 6th day of administration was in the order: Glucophage > Daonil: Diabenese had no significant effect. The implications of these findings to the functional integrity of erythrocytes are discussed in this work.