We measured the effect of gliclazide (160 mg per day) added to insulin treatment on plasma hydrogen peroxide and serum malonyldialdehyde levels in 12 patients with type II diabetes. Twelve type II diabetics maintained on insulin therapy alone served as the comparison group to determine the effect of gliclazide and 20 healthy age and sex matched adults served as a control group. Measurements were obtained before and after 2 and 14 days of gliclazide treatment. Plasma hydrogen peroxide levels decreased by day 14 with gliclazide treatment: 24.3±7.9 umol/l in the insulin plus gliclazide group compared to 44.0±25.0 umol/l in the insulin only group (p < 0.05). Serum MDA concentrations decreased during the 14 day study period, but there was no difference between the two groups. These results support the hypothesis that gliclazide added to insulin therapy reduces oxidative stress as measured by a reduction the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide.

Keywords: Gliclazide, Diabetes Mellitus, malonyldialdehyde