Serum enzyme changes due to trace amounts of some transition metal ions on the induction of experimental diabetes.

The intravenous injection of zinc chloride immediately before and 15 minutes after alloxan or dithizone prevented the usual hyperglycaemia observed 24 hours after induction of diabetes. The intravenous injection of manganese chloride prevented any marked rise of blood glucose, while chromium and cobalt chlorides lowered the blood glucose level to a certain extent. In alloxan diabetic rats, serum GOT and GPT levels were significantly higher than normal. The serum GOT levels were higher in animals injected with chromium than cobalt, zinc and manganese; while serum GPT levels were higher in cobalt than in chromium, zinc and manganese. In dithizone diabetes, serum GOT and GPT were increased in animals injected with cobalt than chromium, zinc and manganese. Alloxan diabetic rats showed lower serum alkaline phosphatase levels and higher in animals injected with cobalt than chromium, zinc and manganese. For dithizone, there are statistically significant differences in all cases. In alloxan diabetes, coeruloplasmin was higher than normal, while intravenous injection of dithizone was without effect on serum coeruloplasmin.