title: Effects of beraprost sodium and insulin on the electroretinogram, nerve conduction, and nerve blood flow in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
abstract: The effect of a prostacyclin analog, beraprost sodium, on the electroretinogram, motor nerve conduction velocity, and nerve blood flow was determined in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and was compared with the effect of insulin. Beraprost sodium (0.01 mg x kg-1 x day-1 for 8 weeks) significantly shortened the peak latency of the electroretinogram b-wave, increased tail nerve conduction velocity, and increased sciatic nerve blood flow in diabetic rats (P < 0.0003, 0.0001, and 0.0001 vs. untreated diabetic rats, respectively). This was accompanied by a significant increase in the 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha content of the thoracic aorta and a marked increase in the cAMP content of the sciatic nerve. Beraprost sodium had no effect on the sorbitol and fructose contents of the sciatic nerve and retina, but insulin (8-10 U/day) significantly reduced both parameters. These findings suggest that beraprost sodium may be useful for prevention of vascular and neural dysfunction in the retina and peripheral nerve.
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: Hara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naruse
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukasawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kakuta
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004596:Electroretinography; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; C048081:beraprost; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; D011464:Epoprostenol; D000242:Cyclic AMP