Optimization of sodium orthovanadate to treat streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Oral administration of sodium orthovanadate restored blood glucose to normal levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. To establish the safety dose and to evaluate the side effects of over dose, if any, different doses of vanadium were used in the present study. Low concentrations of vanadium (0.1 and 0.3 mg/ml in drinking water) restored blood glucose, urea, cholesterol and the status of liver pathophysiological enzymes to normal levels in experimental rats. High vanadate treatment proved to be toxic not only to diabetic but also to normal rats as evidenced from the observations on the blood urea, plasma and liver glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase. Low vanadate treatment restored body homeostasis of diabetic rats and was found to be nontoxic to normals.