DIABETES-MELLITUS AND FREE-RADICALS

Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome initially characterized by a loss of g lucose homeostasis. The disease is progressive and is associated with high risk of atherosclerosis, kidney and nerve damage as well as blind ness. Abnormalities in the regulation of peroxide and transition metal metabolism are postulated to result in establishment of the disease a s well as its longer term complications. Diabetes mellitus is associat ed with oxidative reactions, particularly those which are catalyzed by decompartmentalized transition metals, but their causative significan ce in diabetic tissue damage remains to be established.