Abstract

ACETYL L-CARNITINE SUPPLEMENTATION: COMPARISON OF THERMAL PERCEPTION, MITOCHONDRIAL-SUPPORTED BIOENERGETICS DECLINE AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN DIABETIC INDUCED NEUROPATHY

¹ *Nain, V.S., Sharma, S., Budhiraja, R.D.

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to investigate the role of acetyl Lcarnitine in prevention of streptozotocin induced diabetic neuropathy in wistar rats. Thirty male wistar rats (220-250g) were randomly allocated to five groups (6 rats per group). The rats were housed in individual cages in an environmentally controlled room. After one week acclimatization rats were assigned to non-diabetic control, diabetic control, two diabetic groups supplemented with acetyl-L-carnitine (50 and 100 mg/kg/day, per os) and a non diabetic control group supplemented with acetyl-L-carnitine (100 mg/kg/day). The acetyl-Lcarnitine was started at end of fourth week post STZ challenge and continued for next two weeks. The development of diabetic neuropathy was assessed behaviourally by estimating hyperalgesia and allodynia. The oxidative stress in the sciatic nerve was assessed by measuring lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and nitroblutetrazolium (NBT) reduction. The high energy phosphate (ATP) level in sciatic nerve was estimated by using HPLC. The single administration of STZ resulted in enhanced oxidative stress and decrease (P<0.05) in ATP levels in the sciatic nerve and consequently diabetic neuropathy, evidenced by hyperalgesia and allodynia. The treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine, partially but significantly prevented the development of diabetic neuropathy by increasing the ATP level and lowering (P<0.05) the oxidative stress. Hence, it may be concluded that diabetes-induced neuropathy is associated with an elevated oxidative stress and consequently mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in lowered ATP level. Acetyl-L-carnitine delays or prevents the development of diabetes-induced neuropathy possibly by preventing the mitochondrial dysfunction and protecting the diabetic sciatic nerve from oxidative insult.

Keywords: Acetyl-L-carnitine, Adenosine triphosphate, diabetic neuropathy, streptozotocin, High energy phosphate.