Insulin-mimetic Action of Vanadyl Complexes and Distribution of Vanadium

Abstract

Vanadyl sulfate (VS) and sulfur ligand-vanadyl complexes such as bis (N.N-dimethyldithiocarbamato) oxovanadium [V-M], bis (N.N-diehy ldithiocarbamato) oxovanadium [V-E] , bis (pyrrolidine-N-carbodithioato) oxovanadium [V-P] inhibited dose dependently the release of free fatty acid (FFA) from rat adipocytes. Among them, V-P complex was found to be the most effective complex. Therefore, the V-P complex was given to the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-rats) orally or intraperitoneally to examine the effect of the complex in vivo. Blood glucose levels of STZ-rats dropped from hyperglycemic levels to the normal range within one or two days after treatment with V-P complex. In normal rats treated with V-P complex, vanadium distributed in almost tissues, especially in bone and kidney. But in rats treated with VS, vanadium was found in kidney abundantly. Thus, it was suggested that the renal toxicity due to V-P complex is lower than that of VS, indicating that V-P complex is a good agent to treat the diabetes.