Impaired erythrocyte transmembrane potential in diabetes mellitus and its possible improvement by resorcylidene aminoguanidine

Erythrocytes of diabetic patients have abnormal membrane properties. We examined in vitro transmembrane potential and the possible effect of resorcylidene aminoguanidine (RAG) on its modulation in erythrocytes of diabetic subjects. The transmembrane potential was assessed in RAG-treated and untreated erythrocytes, respectively, using a fluorescent dye (3,3′-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide [DiSC 3(5)]). We confirmed earlier findings that the transmembrane potential of diabetic erythrocytes is significantly increased compared with control ( P