The effect of alloxan on the histochemistry of pancreatic enzymes of albino rats. I. The effect on acid phosphatase activity

Abstract

A study of the effect of alloxan on the histochemistry of pancreatic acid phosphatase activity was conducted using male albino rats, Wistar strain.  The rats were randomly separated into four groups, A, B, C and D of thirty rats each.  The first group was used as the primary control group, the second group (B), the third group (C) and the fourth group (D) served as the test groups.  The test groups were administered with 200 mg per kg body weight of alloxan in order to induce diabetes.  The second group (B) was used to study the direct effect of alloxan on the pancreatic acid phosphatase activity.  Group C was used to study the effect of diabetes mellitus on the pancreatic acid phosphatase activity while group D was used to study the possible effect of therapeutic agent insulin on the restoration of pancreatic acid phosphatase activity.

     Histochemical examination revealed that the activity of pancreatic acid phosphatase was reduced in diabetic rats. This enzyme, which is necessary for the functioning of the beta islet cells, lost its enzymatic activity as a result of the administration of a diabetogenic dose of alloxan.  This suggests that alloxan has a selective degenerative effect on the beta islet cells with consequent loss of acid phosphatase.