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Arginase, a regenerative enzyme located in the endocrine pancreas, is involved in insulin metabolism and regenerative processes during polyamine formation. Pancreatic damage has been linked to high levels of \(\alpha\)-amylase. The aim of this study was to determine the function of arginase and \(\alpha\)-amylase in the pancreas of people with type 2 diabetes and those who had alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or acute pancreatitis without pancreatic diabetes had their arginase and \(\alpha\)-amylase activities assessed in pancreatic tissue. The findings were compared to the results of a control group. Our findings indicate that diabetics' pancreas have higher arginase activity than controls, while pancreatitis patients' tissues have lower arginase activity (P

Despite extensive research, the effects of alpha-tocopherol supplementation remain controversial. Few studies have been focused on obese and overweight people. We examined the effects of alpha-tocopherol (AT) on the oxidative status and metabolic profile in overweight women. Sixteen overweight women between the ages of 40-60 years old, received AT, 800 IU/day during 12 weeks, followed by a 6-week washout period. Blood samples were taken at the beginning and then every 6 weeks until the end of the study. AT, retinol, malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant status (TAS), selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) were quantified to evaluate the oxidative stress. The metabolic profile was estimated by measuring glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in erythrocytes and glucose, phosphate, magnesium, lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in serum. Under AT administration HbA1c, serum- MDA levels and erythrocyte GPx activity were markedly reduced. TAS, AT and Mg2+ concentrations in serum and SOD activity in erythrocytes were higher after AT treatment. Body weight; glucose, lipid and retinol concentrations, or blood cells count were unchanged. Lipid peroxidation was considerably reduced in AT treated women and also improved serum antioxidant status was observed, but the imbalanced response between erythrocyte SOD and GPx activities could affect normal response to oxidative stress.