NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE RESEARCH AND TREATMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS. THE ROLE OF L-ARGININE AND POLYAMINES
José D. Méndez*
ABSTRACT
In this paper, evidence on the beneficial actions of L-arginine and
polyamines obtained in experimental diabetes and from in vitro studies
carried out under hyperglycemia conditions are presented. Several
decades ago L-arginine was shown to be one of the most potent insulin
secretagogue. Subsequently, polyamines, arginine-derived molecules,
were shown to increase in pancreatic islets when the proliferation of
cells is induced by glucose and other substances with hormonal action.
L-Arginine and polyamines have shown beneficial effects not only in
the regulation of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in experimental
diabetes, but also in the prevention of glycation of proteins, lipid
peroxidation, and embryotoxicity, in addition to the antiaggregant
effect on platelets from different sources including human platelets.
Inhibition of low density lipoprotein oxidation of type 2 diabetics was
also demonstrated, being spermine the polyamine with the most potent
inhibitory effect than α-tocopherol. Recently, was informed that fragmentation of sperm
DNA in hyperglycemia conditions is inhibited by polyamines, specially by spermine. Other
studies are being conducted to evaluate the possible use of these substances in humans as a
therapeutic treatment.
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Hyperglycemia, Glycation, Lipid peroxidation, LArginine, Polyamines, Spermine, Spermidine, Putrescine, Cadaverine.
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