Cod liver oil in chemically-induced diabetes mellitus in rats SOHA M. HAMDY1, SAID S. MOSELHY2, ABD-ELMONEIM A. MAKHLOUF3 and AMIRA H. FATHY1 1. Biochemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Egypt 2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt 3. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Egypt Abstract Alloxan induces diabetes in experimental animals through the selective damage of pancreatic β-cells. Cod liver oil (CLO) is an important source of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) and vitamins A, E, and D. In the present study, the possible protective effect of CLO against alloxan-inducing diabetes was investigated in rats. Sixty male albino rats were divided into six groups (ten rats each) as following: Group I (control group), rats fed on a standard diet; Group II (diabetic group), rats injected intraperitoneally with alloxan (75 mg kg–1 day–1) for five consecutive days; Group III (CLO group), rats received orally 100 μl of CLO for five consecutive days; Group IV (treated group), rats injected with alloxan for five consecutive days followed by CLO administration for five consecutive days; Group V (protected group), rats received CLO for five consecutive days followed by alloxan injection for five consecutive days, and Group VI (simultaneous group), rats received CLO and alloxan at the same time for five consecutive days. After 30 days from starting the injection, plasma glucose, insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukine-6 (IL-6), and nitric oxide (NO) were investigated. Results showed that plasma levels of glucose, TNF-α, and IL-6 were significantly elevated, while levels of plasma NO and insulin were significantly decreased in diabetic rats when compared with the control group. Oral administration of CLO (protected and simultaneous groups) ameliorated the deleterious effects of alloxan by lowering glucose, TNF-α, IL-6 and by slightly elevating plasma insulin and NO levels. It is concluded that CLO might prevent alloxan action by suppressing the release of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) that are involved in β-cell damage and development of diabetes.   < back .