title: Effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on motor nerve conduction, autonomic cardiac function, and nerve blood flow in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes: comparison with an aldose reductase inhibitor.
abstract: The effects of propionyl-L-carnitine (PCAL) on caudal motor nerve conduction velocity, the coefficient of variation of the R-R interval on the electrocardiogram, and sciatic nerve blood flow were compared with those of [5-(3-thienyl)tetrazol-1-yl] acetic acid monohydrate, an aldose reductase inhibitor, in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Diabetic control rats showed significantly delayed nerve conduction (P < .05), decreased R-R variability (P < .05) and reduced sciatic nerve blood flow (P < .05). Oral administration of PCAL (0.5 g/kg/day) and [5-(3-thienyl)tetrazol-1-yl] acetic acid monohydrate (0.05% in the diet: 60 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks significantly improved both nerve conduction (P < .05) and R-R variability (P < .05) in diabetic rats, along with the normalization of sciatic nerve blood flow. PCAL treatment increased the nerve tissue levels of carnitine and myo-inositol and reduced the serum triglyceride level in diabetic rats. Our results suggests that PCAL could have therapeutic potential for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hotta
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sakakibara
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakao
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naruse
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D013777:Tetrazoles; D013876:Thiophenes; C080974:(5-(3-thienyl)tetrazol-1-yl)acetic acid; C003223:propionylcarnitine; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase; D002331:Carnitine