Urinary excretion of oxidative metabolites of bilirubin in fenofibrate-treated rats.

Bilirubin oxidative metabolites (BOM) were shown to be excreted into the urine in rats in which exaggerated oxidative stress was induced. We measured bilirubin (BR) and biopyrrins in the urine of rats treated with fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator, which is known to cause oxidative stress. Male Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats aged 6 weeks were treated orally with fenofibrate at 10, 400 and 800 mg/kg for 2 weeks.

Emeriamine, an antidiabetic beta-aminobetaine derived from a novel fungal metabolite.

Emeriamine [(R)-3-amino-4-trimethylaminobutyric acid], derived from a novel fungal metabolite "emericedin" [(R)-3-acetylamino-4-trimethylaminobutyric acid], was proved to be a strong and specific inhibitor of carnitine-dependent oxidation of long chain fatty acid (IC50; 3.2 X 10(-6)M) and its main inhibition site was shown to be carnitine palmitoyltransferase I located on the outer-surface of the mitochondrial inner membrane. Emeriamine also showed hypoglycemic and antiketogenic activities in a dose-dependent manner (1 - 10 mg/kg) when administered orally to fasted normal and diabetic animals.

Inhibitory effect of idebenone (CV-2619), a novel compound, on vascular lesions in hypertensive rats.

The effects of a novel compound, 6-(10-hydroxydecyl)-2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (idebenone, CV-2619), on cerebral and renal vascular changes were examined in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and in rats with experimentally induced hypertension. CV-2619 (35 mg/kg/day, p.o.

Feeding in response to insulin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose in Zucker rats on dietary self-selection.

Adult male fatty and lean rats of Zucker strain were given access ad libitum to either a single nutritionally complete diet, or a self-selection regime with separate sources of three macronutrients, protein (casein), fat (hydrogenated coconut oil), and carbohydrate (sucrose). Animals on the single diet were fed on a powdered stock diet, and then switched to the self-selection regime. Energy intake on the self-selection regime was the same as that for the single diet condition in both fatty and lean rats.

Reduction of insulin resistance in obese and/or diabetic animals by 5-[4-(1-methylcyclohexylmethoxy)benzyl]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione (ADD-3878, U-63,287, ciglitazone), a new antidiabetic agent.

Effects of 5-[4-(1-methylcyclohexylmethoxy)benzyl]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione (ADD-3878, U-63,287, Ciglitazone) on glucose and lipid metabolism were examined in various animal models. ADD-3878, administered as a dietary admixture (30-186 mg/kg/day) to obese-diabetic yellow KK (KK-Ay) mice, markedly suppressed the diabetic syndromes (hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperinsulinemia), accompanied by the reduction of insulin resistance as manifested by improvement of overall insulin sensitivity in either the insulin tolerance test or the steady-state blood glucose test. Chronic administration of ADD-3878 for as long as 12 wk to young yellow KK mice, which were in the early stage of diabetes and obesity, depressed age-dependent rises in blood glucose, plasma triglyceride, and insulin without exerting any effect on obesity.