Neonatal streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat:
Intraperitoneal administration of STZ (90 mg kg-1 b.wt) on two-day-old neonates resulted in significant increase of the blood glucose level in comparison to that of control group (normal rats) at the age of three months (Fig. 1).
Preprandial and postprandial blood glucose levels of normal rats were 60.55±2.16 and 85.83±2.88 mg dL-1, respectively. Whereas, preprandial and postprandial blood glucose level of neonatal STZ-induced diabetic rats were 113.39±16.38 and 164.85±17.46 mg dL-1, respectively. These facts mean that the blood glucose levels of diabetic rats were two folds higher than those of normal rats.
Treatment of STZ on neonates mildly decreased the body weight in comparison to the control group (normal rats) at the age of three months. The body weight of neonatal STZ-induced diabetic rats was 120.50±2,14 g and that of normal rats was 134.19±1,60 g.