Chemical Tests as Alternatives to Animal Tests in Research on Late Symptoms in Diabetes

Abstract

Glycation reactions, such as those seen in late diabetes, can be mimicked in purely chemical systems. The glycation is time-dependent, and in in vitro systems it may continue for days. Ascorbate seems to enhance the reactions. The reactions are associated with free-radical formation through transformation of an Amadori product to (deoxy-)glycoson, catalysed by heavy metals. Ascorbate enhances the reaction by a factor of 5–10 compared with in vitro systems without ascorbate. In vitro systems containing bovine serum albumin retard the formation of free-radicals, because of the formation of advanced glycation products.