الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract DIABETES mellitus was first described about 1500 B.C in Egypt. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by relative or absolute lack of insulin, or by insulin resistance, or both, which results in impaired use of carbohydrate and altered metabolism of fat and protein (Maurer 1979; and Thompson 1999). In the 21 st century, patients suffering from diabetes melli tus, a life- style related disease will increase more than in 20th century. DM is threatening because of the development of many severe secondary complications, including atherosclerosis, nerve damage, male impotence, renal failure, cardiac abnormalities, diabetic retinopathy, and ocular disorders (Sakurai 2002). It is now well recognized that diabetes is an epidemic disease in most countries, including Egypt, that are undergoing socioeconomic transitions. World wide, an estimated 150 million people are affected by diabetes, and this number is likely to reach 300 million by the year 2025 if successful strategies are not implemented for its prevention and control. It has been suggested that, oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications because hyperglycemia may cause increased production of free radicals (Willems et. al., 1998). |