THE EFFECT OF UKRAIN ON THE SERUM VASOACTIVE INTESTINAL POLYPEPTIDE LEVEL IN DIABETIC MICE
WIELOSZ-TOKARZEWSKA E.1, JAGIELLO-WOJTOWICZ E.2
1) Department of Rheumathology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
2) Department of Toxicology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
Address for correspondence: E. Jagiello-Wojtowicz, Department of Toxicology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 8 Str., 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
Summary: Our previous studies have shown that Ukrain, a thiophosphoric acid alkaloid derivative from Cheli-donium majus L, changes hormonal secretion in mice and rats. Ukrain has been found to significantly increase the serum insulin level in diabetic mice. It is known that insulin secretion is regulated by enterohormones. One of these is a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). It is one of the principle agents of the enteroinsular axis which stimulate insulin release. In the present study the effect of Ukrain on the serum VIP level in diabetic mice was investigated. It was found that in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice treated with Ukrain for 10 days, the drug caused a significant increase in the serum VIP level. These results showed that a 10-day period of treatment modified VIP secretion in diabetic mice and significantly decreased the hormonal dysfunction induced by STZ in mice.