Reduced Erythrocyte Carbonic Anhydrase Activity by Swietenia Macrophylla Seeds in Diabetic Rats

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4) are zinc containing metalloenzymes. The active site of these enzymes contains a Zn (II) ion Co-ordinated by three histidine residues and a water molecule/hydroxide ion. Four distinct gene families encode them and distributed throughout the phylogenetic tree. Presently 16 different CA isoforms of alpha family have been isolated and characterized in mammals. They catalyze the rapid inter conversion of carbon dioxide and water to bicarbonate and protons, a reversible reaction that occurs relatively slowly in the absence of a catalyst [1,2].