Abstract

Cellular thiol-disulfide ratio can be altered by exogenously added, readily absorbable thiols or disulfides. Many sulphydryl enzymes including glycolytic kinases are known to be affected by changes in thiol-disulfide balance. It is known that in diabetes mellitus the tissue total thiol concentration is reduced thereby creating disturbances in various metabolic pathways, especially the pathways of carbohydrate metabolism. Few studies have suggested that the alterations in carbohydrate metabolism can be directly attributed to modifications in tissue thioldisulfide balance. Certain low molecular weight thiols are known to influence glucose utilization in adipocytes probably by replenishing cellular NADP levels hence favoring utility of glucose through HMP pathway. A study was undertaken to assess the effect of Thiopropanol(3- mercapto-1- propanol), a low molecular weight thiol, on glucose utilization in isolated alloxan diabetic liver slices. The results indicate that the thiopropanol at the dosage employed in the present study influences glucose utilization, lactate production, pyruvate production, glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase as well as hexokinase activities in isolated alloxan diabetic liver slices, probably by favoring glucose utilization through glycolysis as well as through HMP pathway.