Pro-/antioxidant reactions and nitrogen oxide metabolism under sub-chronic effect of succinic acid derivatives

The derivatives of a succinic acid represent active compounds which realize their biological action via the influence on pro-/antioxidant processes and energetic metabolism. We studied the nitrogen oxide metabolism as well as reactions of the proteins and lipids free-radical peroxide oxidation under a sub-chronic effect of anti-diabetically active compounds – succinic acid derivatives and its metabolites. We found that the studied compounds were able to change the intensity of protein- and lipoperoxidation in a liver and blood serum interconnected with changes in the activity of the key antioxidant enzymes. The derivatives of succinic acid proved to inhibit the nitrogen oxide synthase reflected in a decrease in nitrite- and nitrate-anion level in a liver, blood plasma and urine as well as in changes in the oxidation processes in a liver and blood serum. We concluded in stating that the specified changes of pro-/antioxidant and nitrogen oxide homeostasis may serve as assessment criteria of the succinate-containing compounds’ biological action.