VO(dmpp)2 normalizes pre-diabetic parameters as assessed by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy

Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Attempts have been made for early diagnosis and finding effective drugs to prevent severe consequences and ameliorate the symptoms of this disorder. In this work, the pharmacological properties of VO(dmpp)(2), [bis(1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridinonato)oxoyanadium(IV)], were in vivo evaluated. For 4 weeks fatty Zucker rats were subjected to a daily dose of VO(dmpp)(2) (44 mu mol/kg) and their metabolic profile was followed by assessing different biological parameters at established time points: body weight, subcutaneous fat width and hepatic triglyceride content determined by magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, respectively. A glucose tolerance test was performed at the end of the experiment. After treatment, treated obese rats presented a weight significantly lower than the non-treated obese animals (359.0 +/- 11.1 vs. 433.5 +/- 6.2 g, P<0.05), a thinner subcutaneous fat width, and a statistically significant decrease in hepatic triglyceride content (5.41 +/- 0.59 vs. 21.03 +/- 1.40%, P<0.0005). Additionally, the glucose intolerant profile of fatty Zucker rats was completely reversed in treated animals (102.3 +/- 2.1 vs. 172.4 +/- 1.3 mg/100 mL; P<0.0005). These results reinforce the therapeutic action of VO(dmpp)(2) which shows particular effects on lipid metabolism. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.