65Zn turnover in short-term alloxan diabetic rats

Abstract

65Zn was injected subcutaneously in eleven rats with alloxan diabetes of five days duration and in nine control rats. Fifty hours after the injection of 65Zn the animals were killed with an overdose of ether. In the alloxan diabetic rats signs of an altered zinc metabolism were found with an increased excretion of zinc in urine and possibly also faeces and an elevated zinc concentration in the liver compared to controls. The results also indicate an altered distribution of serum zinc in alloxan treated rats. Future studies will be necessary to demonstrate whether changes in zinc metabolism are secondary to the onset of diabetes or a primary effect of alloxan treatment.