Dynamic blood viscosity and hepatic microcirculation in alloxan-induced diabetes combined with toxic hepatitis

Dynamic viscosity of blood and hepatic microcirculation were evaluated in two groups of male rats: rats with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus to which acute toxic hepatitis was added by injection of the alkaloid heliotrine (group 1) and those with heliotrine-induced hepatitis to which diabetes was added by alloxan injection (group 2). While blood viscosity and hepatic microcirculation were altered in both groups (particularly on day 3 after hepatitis induction in group 1 and on day 14 after diabetes induction in group 2), the alterations were more strongly marked in group 1. The results of this study are interpreted as indicating an early decompensation of the mechanisms of adaptation (autoregulation) in the presence of these two diseases, especially when hepatitis is superimposed on diabetes.