Antioxidant SMe1EC2 modulates pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione-dependent enzyme activities in tissues of aged diabetic rats.

The pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione-associated metabolism are the main antioxidant cellular defense systems. This study investigated the effects of the powerful antioxidant SMe1EC2 (2-ethoxycarbonyl-8-methoxy-2,3,4,4a,5,9b-hexahydro-1H-pyrido[4,3-b] indolinium dichloride) on pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and glutathione-dependent enzyme activities in aged diabetic and aged matched control rats. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection in rats aged 13-15 months.