Nerve function in galactosaemic rats: effects of evening primrose oil and doxazosin.
Rats were fed for 6 weeks with a 40% galactose diet to chronically stimulate the polyol pathway. Sciatic motor and saphenous sensory nerve conduction velocity deficits of 22% and 14% respectively developed. Treatment with evening primrose oil or doxazosin from galactosaemia induction partially (approximately 60%) prevented the development of reduced motor and sensory conduction, the former treatment being more successful than the latter. Sciatic nerve resistance to hypoxic conduction failure was 49% increased by galactosaemia. This abnormality was 27% and 43% prevented by doxazosin and evening primrose oil respectively. Galactosaemic sciatic nerves had a 10% increase in water content and endoneurial capillary density was 24% reduced. While neither treatment affected water content, both caused angiogenesis, elevating capillary density by approximately 16%. The data support the hypothesis that, as in experimental diabetes mellitus, the main effect of polyol pathway activation on peripheral nerve function occurs indirectly via a neurovascular action.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Marischal College, Scotland, UK.
C D
CD
Dines
M A
MA
Cotter
N E
NE
Cameron
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005690:Galactose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000860:Hypoxia; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D031665:Oenothera biennis; D010938:Plant Oils; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects*; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid
D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D010938:Plant Oils; C028498:evening primrose oil; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; D017292:Doxazosin; D005690:Galactose