3.4. Polyol pathway
The specific activity of AR, a key enzyme in polyol
pathway, was significantly higher in Group DU animals (male
85.3% and female 290.9%) than in Group N. The SDH activity
decreased in Group DU (male 49.1% and female 36.6%)
compared with Group N (Tables 3 and 4). Treatment with AV
gel rectified the alterations in polyol pathway enzymes (male
10.7% and female 17.4%, male 8.9% and female 1.2%
respectively).
3.5. Protein content
Data on the total soluble and insoluble protein content
revealed significant decreases in both soluble (male 30% and
female 73.9%) and insoluble protein (male 28.1% and female
9.8%) in Group DU compared with Group N (Tables 5 and 6).
Feeding the rats with AV gel improved the soluble (male
57.6% and female 10.4%) and insoluble (male 0.6% and female
16.4%) protein levels.