Table-3.

Existing animal models for the assessment of DM.

Animal model	Type of animals used	Experimental parameters
Normoglycemic	Normal healthy animals	Potential oral hypoglycemic agents are tested
Oral glucose loading model (glucose tolerance testing)	Normal healthy animals	Physiological induction of DM in animals; glucose level is monitored
Streptozotocin model	Normal healthy animals	Streptozotocin induces DM over a period; provides suitable time intervals and additional information for the mechanism of action of drugs
Alloxan model	Normal healthy animals	Alloxan induces DM; provides the possibility to produce different grades of severity of DM; provides the blood sugar levels equivalent to total pancreatectomy
Ferric nitrilotriacetate induced DM model	Normal healthy animals	Measures diabetic symptoms(hyperglycemia, glycosuria, ketonemia, and ketonuria)
Surgical model	Normal healthy animals	DM is induced in removed pancreas(pancreatectomy); permits to assess if the drug affects resistance to and secretion ofinsulin
Genetic model	Genetically engineered animals or mutant strains	Longterm complications of DM could be monitored; several drugs could be tested against DM; measures(blood sugar, body weight, insulin production, and insulin resistant); explores the mechanism of action of drugs

DM=Diabetes mellitus