Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of taurine on plasma paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities in streptozotocin-induced experimental diabetes.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley female rats, which have 204±11 g body weight, were divided into four groups randomly and equally: control, taurine, diabetes and diabetes+taurine. To induce diabetes streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to diabetes group and diabetes+taurine group. Taurine (1%) was added to drinking water of taurine group and diabetes+taurine group for 21 days. Plasma paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities, malondialdehyde and HDL cholesterol levels were measured.

Results: Plasma paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly decreased whereas plasma malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in diabetes group when compared with control group. Taurine treatment caused a significant increase on plasma paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities and a significant decrease on plasma malondialdehyde levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Conclusion: Our study showed that taurine has an increasing effect on plasma paraoxonase, arylesterase and lactonase activities in streptozotocin-induced experimental diabetes. Taurine may be useful for preventing the atherosclerotic complications of diabetes.