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Vanadium and diabetes

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Abstract

We demonstrated in 1985 that vanadium administered in the drinking water to streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats restored elevated blood glucose to normal. Subsequent studies have shown that vanadyl sulfate can lower elevated blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in a variety of diabetic models including the STZ diabetic rat, the Zucker fatty rat and the Zucker diabetic fatty rat. Long-term studies of up to one year did not show toxicity in control or STZ rats administered vanadyl sulfate in doses that lowered elevated blood glucose. In the BB diabetic rat, a model of insulin-dependent diabetes, vanadyl sulfate lowered the insulin requirement by up to 75%. Vanadyl sulfate is effective orally when administered by either single dose or chronic doses. It is also effective by the intraperitoneal route. We have also been able to demonstrate marked long-terrn effects of vanadyl sulfate in diabetic animals following treatment and withdrawal of vanadyl sulfate. Because vanadyl sulfate is not well absorbed we have synthesized and tested a number of organic vanaditun compounds. One of these, bismaltolato-oxovanadiurn IV (BMOV), has shown promise as a therapeutic agent. BMOV is 2-3x more potent than vanadyl sulfate and has shown less toxicity. Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that the effects of vanadium are not due to a decrease in food intake and that while vanadium is deposited in bone it does not appear to affect bone strength or architecture. The mechanism of action of vanadium is currently under investigation. Several studies indicate that vanadiun is a phosphatase inhibitor and that vanadium can activate serine/threonine kineses distal to tbe insulin receptor presumably by preventing dephosphorylation due to inhibition of phosphatases Short-term clinical trials using inorganic vanadium compounds in diabetic patients have been promising.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver

    Patrick Poucheret, Subodh Verma & John H. McNeill

  2. Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada

    Marc D. Grynpas

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  1. Patrick Poucheret
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  2. Subodh Verma
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  4. John H. McNeill
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Poucheret, P., Verma, S., Grynpas, M.D. et al. Vanadium and diabetes. Mol Cell Biochem 188, 73–80 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006820522587

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