Author: Thompson, Cecil S.

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design, Volume 14, Number 4, February 2008 , pp. 309-324(16)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate due to population growth, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and aging. Consequently, diabetic microvascular complications (retinopathy and nephropathy) and macrovascular complications (coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease) are also rising.

Traditional oral hypoglycaemic agents only partially prevent the development of these complications. This suggests that selective treatment options that target specific biological pathways (i.e. metabolic factors, intracellular signaling proteins and growth factors) may be a more effective strategy.

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic animal models have been produced spontaneously by selective inbreeding or by genetic modification, as well as, pharmacological induction. These models have become a safe and reliable option to test the therapeutic potential of novel drugs. They also help to understand the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus.

This review highlights the most commonly used animal models for the treatment of diabetic micro and macrovascular complications.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; animal models; microvascular complications; macrovascular complications

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2008-02-01

More about this publication?

• Current Pharmaceutical Design publishes timely in-depth reviews covering all aspects of current research in rational drug design. Each issue is devoted to a single major therapeutic area. A Guest Editor who is an acknowledged authority in a therapeutic field has solicits for each issue comprehensive and timely reviews from leading researchers in the pharmaceutical industry and academia.
  
  Each thematic issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design covers all subject areas of major importance to modern drug design, including: medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, drug targets and disease mechanism.

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