title: Prevention of abnormalities in motor nerve conduction and nerve blood-flow by a prostacyclin analog, beraprost sodium, in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The effects of the prostacyclin analog beraprost sodium on motor nerve function and nerve blood-flow were examined in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of beraprost sodium 0.1 mg/kg/day for 8 wks significantly (P < 0.001) improved caudal motor nerve conduction velocity and sciatic nerve blood-flow, both of which are impaired in diabetic rats. Beraprost sodium did not affect glucose, sorbitol, or fructose levels in the sciatic nerve. However, a decreased content of cyclic AMP in the sciatic nerve and higher level of thromboxane B2 in the thoracic aorta of diabetic rats, as compared with those in normal rats, were reversed by the treatment with beraprost sodium (P < 0.01). Results suggest that beraprost sodium may have value in treating diabetic neuropathy, mainly by improving endoneurial blood-flow.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005632:Fructose / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000378:metabolism; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D005632:Fructose; C048081:beraprost; D013012:Sorbitol; D013929:Thromboxane B2; D011464:Epoprostenol; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D005947:Glucose