Influence of Calcium Supplements on Zinc Status, Carbohydrate Metabolism and the Liver Activity of Detoxifying Glutathione Enzymatic System in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rats

The present study has been undertaken to investigate the effect of calcium on blood biochemical parameters, tissue zinc levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in alloxan-induced in diabetic rats fed on zinc over dose diet. The diabetic rats were divided into three groups (10 rates in each groups); the first group fed on standard diet (control group) while the second group (Zn group) was fed on zinc-over dose of Zn (231 μg ZnSO4/g diet) and third group (Zn-Ca group) was fed on zinc-over dose diet supplemented with calcium (35 mg CaCO3 /g diet). Tissue and blood samples were taken from all animals after 21 days of treatment. In the end of the experiment it was reported that the body weight and intake food was not influenced by supplementation of calcium with zinc in diabetes. Blood glucose level of (Zn-Ca group) was higher than the group fed on the zinc only (Zn group). Calcium added significantly decreased serum triglycerides, protein, GSH and zinc level in (Zn) group animals. However, there was no effect of dietary calcium on serum cholesterol concentrations in diabetic animals. A diet supplemented by calcium led to an increase in serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, amylase activities and liver glutathione peroxydase and to a decrease serum aldolase and liver glutathione-S-transferase activity. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that calcium supplementation perturbed carbohydrate metabolism, significantly reduced the severity of zinc over dose zinc in diabetes and demonstrates the role of GSH system in the detoxification of toxic metabolites of the calcium and therefore the protection of the living cell in diabetes. Samir Derouiche *1 and Zine Kechrid 2