Hematological Indices in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats: Effect of Supplementation with the Antioxidant Dimethyl Sulfoxide

Background: Antioxidants are substances that protect the cell damage caused by free radicals. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has radical-scavenging activity thus acting as antioxidant. In this study, we evaluated haematological changes in alloxan-induced diabetic rats treated or not with DMSO.

Materials and Methods: 24 adult wistar albino rats, aged 9-11 weeks, were divided into three groups of eight rats each: control, diabetics and diabetics supplemented with DMSO (0.5 ml/kgbw/day for two weeks). Diabetic groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of freshly dissolved alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kgbw) in normal saline. 5% glucose dissolved in clean water and same volume of normal saline served as drinking water for diabetic rats and controls, respectively. Hematological parameters (RBC, HCT, HGB, WBC, LYM, GRA, MCH, MCHC, MCV and PLT) were determined by automated hematology analyzer.

Results: The mean values of RBC, HCT, HBG, GRA and PLT (5.58±0.21, 34.84±1.96, 10.35±0.69, 8.21±1.20 and 608.89±61.0, respectively) of the diabetic DMSO-supplemented rats were significantly different (P<0.05) when compared to the diabetic unsupplemented rats (14.16±7.18, 52.18±1.17, 15.21±0.39, 11.58±2.03 and 626.88±56.0 respectively). Moreover, the mean value of PLT (76.20±1.10) in DMSO-supplemented rats was significantly higher (P= 0.01) than that of the diabetic unsupplemented animals (56.21±1.9). Statistically significant difference was also observed (P<0.05) in blood glucose of diabetic DMSO-supplemented rats (15.38±1.56 and 10.30±2.13 mmol/L after, respectively, 72 hours and 2 weeks of diabetes induction) compared to diabetic unsupplemented rats (24.75±3.06 and 22.93±2.82 mmol/L after, respectively, 72 hours and 2 weeks of diabetes induction).

Conclusion: Treatment with DMSO tends to reverse all the aforementioned hematologic anomalies to near control values in diabetic rats. Thus, diabetes mellitus predisposes to haematological abnormalities that may be prevented or reversed by treatment with the antioxidant compound DMSO.