To investigate whether bradykinin-independent antioxidative effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) exist in acute hyperglycemia.
Male Wistar rats were divided into the normoglycemic group (n = 40) and the hyperglycemic group (n = 40). Hyperglycemia was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg body weight) dissolved in 0.1 mol/L citrate buffer (pH 4.5) 72 hours before sacrifice. The normoglycemic group received the same volume of citrate buffer. Each group was divided into five subgroups (n = 8): control group, captopril group, captopril + bradykinin B1 and B2 receptor antagonists group, enalapril group, and enalapril + bradykinin B1 and B2 receptor antagonists group. Captopril, enalapril, B1 and B2 receptor antagonists, or 0.15 mol/L NaCl were given at 2 and 1 hour before sacrifice. Oxidative status was determined by measuring the concentration of malondialdehyde and H 2O 2, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx).
In STZ-induced hyperglycemic rats ACEIs significantly reduced H 2O 2 and MDA concentration, while they significantly enhanced SOD and GPx activity. The hyperglycemic group treated simultaneously with ACEIs and bradykinin B1 and B2 receptor antagonists showed a significant decrease in H 2O 2 concentration compared to the control hyperglycemic group.