ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus induces several complications and causes damage to organs. However the etiology of complications of diabetes still remains poorly understood. An increased serum ACE activity has been reported in diabetic subjects with vascular complications and in animal model of diabetes. Studies suggest that ACE inhibitors may be useful in diabetic complications. ACE inhibition by garlic extract has been reported in vitro. Therefore, because of the importance of changes in ACE activity in diabetes and ACE inhibitory effect of garlic, the study of this extract on ACE activity, affected complications of diabetes, is more considerable. In the present study, the level of ACE activity has been measured in the serum of streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats treated by garlic extract and compared with ACE level in diabetic rats without treatment, normal rats, and normal rats treated by garlic extract. ACE activity was measured by Cushman and Cheung colorimetric method at start of study and after one and two mounts. Results showed that ACE activity increases in STZ- induced diabetic rats compared to normal subjects but in STZ- induced diabetic rats treated by garlic extract this increase in ACE activity was not found. Therefore garlic extract can be introduced as a useful ACE inhibitor to prevent complications of diabetes mellitus