Effects of commonly used antidiabetic drugs on antioxidant enzymes and liver function test markers in type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects - pilot study.

Abstract

The present study analyzed the effects of antidiabetic drugs on antioxidant enzymes and liver function test (LFT) markers and their association with homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in type 2 diabetic subjects. We assessed healthy and diabetic subjects (100 each). Diabetic subjects were divided based on treatment with only metformin, metformin in combination with other antidiabetic drugs and insulin in combination with other antidiabetic drugs. LFT markers, antioxidant status and HOMA-IR were assessed in the subjects. Superoxide dismutase activity was higher (p<0.01) while catalase activity was lower (p<0.01) in the diabetic subjects as compared to controls. Serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) (p<0.01) and bilirubin (p<0.05) levels were higher in diabetic male subjects while urea (p<0.05) levels were lower and SGPT (p<0.01) levels were higher in diabetic female subjects. In male subjects consuming only metformin, a positive association between HOMA-IR and insulin (p<0.05) was seen. A positive association between HOMA-IR and glucose (p<0.01), insulin (p<0.01), SOD (p<0.01) and SGPT (p<0.05) was seen in males receiving metformin with other drugs. Interestingly, the female subjects on metformin displayed a positive association between HOMA-IR and insulin (p<0.05) only. A positive association of HOMA-IR with glucose (p<0.01) and insulin (p<0.05) was seen in females on metformin in combination with other anti-diabetic drugs. The alterations in the antioxidant enzyme activities and liver function tests are dependent upon the gender and glycemic status of subjects while the variations in correlations of HOMA-IR with antioxidant enzymes, liver function tests and inflammatory markers are dependent on type of treatments.