THE EFFECT OF ACUTE GLUTATHIONE TREATMENT ON SORBITOL LEVEL IN ERYTHROCYTES FROM DIABETIC-PATIENTS

This study evaluated the effect of acute intravenous glutathione (GSH) infusion on red blood cell (RBC) sorbitol levels in 21 diabetic subje cts and 6 normal controls of similar age and body mass index (Kg/m(2)) . All patients received 1,200 mg of GSH in 500 ml of isotonic saline s olution during one-hour intravenous administration. At the end of acut e infusion of GSH, sorbitol concentration decreased from 20.90 +/- 1.1 6 to 16.24 +/- 0.81 nmol/g Hb (p < 0.001) in RBCs of diabetic subjects . No significant changes were observed in controls. These data support the hypothesis that GSH depletion, by reducing glycolytic flux to pyr uvate, may enhance the rare of glucose metabolism through the polyol p athway and worsen the metabolic imbalance of diabetic tissues. The adm inistration of exogenous GSH could interrupt this vicious circle.