AMINO-ACIDS, DIPEPTIDES, AND LEG SKELETAL-MUSCLE WOUND-HEALING IN DIABETES

The authors determined the effects of active amino acids and dipeptide s as anabolic agents on surgically induced wound healing in lower extr emity skeletal muscles in diabetic and normal rats. In order to induce diabetes, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (200 g; 10 to 12 animals per group) were injected with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) 30 days before th e onset of the experiment. Their blood sugars were checked at this tim e. Each group of rats was injected with either one stimulatory amino a cid or dipeptide (150 mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously in saline for 7 days and their anabolic effects (RNA, DNA, protein, and collagen con tents) on lower extremity skeletal muscle wound healing determined in both diabetic and normal control groups. It is hoped that a treatment regimen will be developed using synergistic anabolic agents locally to decrease the lower extremity muscle healing time. This will enable th e diabetic patient to become mobile sooner after surgery.