Zinc Supplementation Overcomes Effects of Copper on Zinc Status, Carbohydrate Metabolism and Some Enzyme Activities in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Rats

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of zinc supplementation on zinc status, carbohydrate metabolism and some enzyme activities in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes that were fed high-copper feed. Methods: Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=10). The first and fourth groups were nondiabetic and diabetic controls. The second, third, fifth and sixth groups were copper, copper + zinc, diabetes + copper and diabetes + copper + zinc groups, respectively. Diabetes in the fourth, fifth and sixth groups was induced by alloxan. Copper (30 mg/kg feed) as CuSO4 5H2O and zinc (231 mg/kg feed) as ZnSO4 7H2O were added to the feed of the animals in the copper and zinc groups for 21 days. Results: Copper supplementation caused a significant decrease in body weight gain, serum zinc, tissue zinc, serum protein concentrations, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase and amylase activities. In contrast, it led to an augmentation in creatinine, uric acid and transaminases activities in rats with and without diabetes. Zinc supplementation in the feed for animals given copper ensured a partial correction of the previous parameters. Conclusions: The study demonstrated the beneficial effects of zinc treatment in copper-induced metabolic disturbance in diabetic and nondiabetic rats