Melatonin attenuates metabolic disorders due to streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

Enhanced oxidative stress and impairments in nitric oxide synthesis and bioavailability are of considerable importance in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular diseases. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the metabolic effects of pharmacological doses of the melatonin, a known antioxidant, on streptozotocin-induced diabetic damage in rats. We investigated the indolamine's influence on the cellular redox-balance, nitric oxide (NO) level, and the activities of antioxidative defence enzymes, as well as the activities of enzymes involved in phase II detoxication and NADPH-generating pentose phosphate pathway.