Effects of Diabetogenic Agent Streptozotocin on Hematological Parameters of Wistar Albino Rats “An Experimental Study”

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus has remained the major concern for medical sciences researches due to its deleterious effects on general, physical and mental health of patients. To understand the pathophysiology and to explore better treatment options for such kind of metabolic disorders it is necessary to generate the experimental animal models. To create diabetic animal models, streptozotocin has shown predominance in selectivity as a diabetogenic agent. While studying effects of any intervention in the diabetic animal models, being a cytotoxic drug streptozotocin may affect the study results by inhibiting highly replicating cells especially hematopoietic cells.
 Aims: The aim of study was to analyze the effects of streptozotocin on various cellular components of blood such as RBCs, WBCs (Lymphocytes, Neutrophils, Eosinophils), Hb%, HCT and Platelets, at baseline, 5th day and 15th day without any intervention.
 Study Design: Animal based Experimental study.
 Place and duration of Study: The study was conducted at animal house of faculty of Pharmacy Ziauddin University Karachi, while laboratory work was performed at MDRL-1 Ziauddin University.
 Methodology: In Group A normal saline and in group B and C 60 mg / kg streptozotocin diluted in normal saline was administered intraperitoneally. After the confirmation of induction of Diabetes in rats, on fifth day blood samples were drawn from Group A and B and were analyzed. While blood samples from group C were drawn on fifteenth day.
 Results: Analysis of various hematological parameters on 5th day revealed that there was a decrease in the levels of Hb, HCT, RBCs and WBCs with an increase in platelet count in group B in comparison to group A (control). On the other hand, in Group C (15th day), blood cell counts (Hb, HCT, RBCs, WBCs, Lymphocytes, Neutrophils and platelets) seemed to recover from streptozotocin induced decline that was observed in group B, however did not reach the baselines as in group A(control).
 Conclusion: It is concluded that change in hematological parameters of rats after administration of streptozotocin is reversible. The blood parameters may recover near to base line values without any intervention within two weeks.

Effect of Zingiber officinale and Nigella sativa on Streptozotocin-Diabetic Rats with Reference to Biochemical and Hematological Studies

“…Erythrogram assessed in the present work following streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) administration in rats revealed a significant decrease in the count of RBCs, Hb concentration and PCV%, in association with a significant high and low values of MCV and MCHC, respectively indicating a macrocytic hypochromic anemia. This type of anemia may be attributed to hemolysis of RBCs as a result of STZ toxin and is a common pathophysiology associated with diabetes mellitus [52][53][54][55][56]. This agrees with existing literature showed a significant decrease in RBCs count, hematocrit and hemoglobin levels following STZ administration [57][58][59].…”

“…The leukocytosis may be due to the increased hemopoitic activity as a result of the hemolysis of RBCs in diabetic rats [57]. Stress leukocytosis associated with diabetic animals was confirmed by previous studies [55,56,68]. Also, leukocytosis in both of the polymorphonuclears and mononuclears count reported in diabetic rats group could be induced by glycation end products [60].…”

“…The plant extracts may contain some phytochemicals which may promote the formation or secretion of erythropoietin in the animals' stem cells to produce RBCs, and this enhancement in RBCs synthesis leading to an improvement in the MCH and MCHC levels [63]. The improving effect of ginger, N. sativa, and metformin administrations were parallel with reported results [53][54][55][56]. This positive effect of extract administration of ginger and N. sativa may be related to their anti-oxidant activities in scavenging free radicals [64].…”