ALPHA-LIPOIC ACID CORRECTS NEUROPEPTIDE DEFICITS IN DIABETIC RATS VIAINDUCTION OF TROPHIC SUPPORT

This study compared the effects of treatment of diabetic rats with eit her alpha-lipoic acid (100 mg/kg/day i.p. 5 days/week) or with recombi nant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF; 0.2 mg/kg s.c. 3 days/week) on NGF-like immunoreactivity (NGFLI) and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreacti vity (NPYLI) levels in the sciatic nerve and on the release of substan ce P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI) from the spinal cord in response to electrical stimulation of the dorsal roots in vitro. Diabetic rats sho wed depletion of NGFLI and NPYLI, together with reduced release of SPL I. Treatment with NGF increased the sciatic nerve NGFLI (to four times that seen in untreated diabetic rats) and normalised stimulus-evoked release of SPLI, but did not affect the sciatic nerve NPYLI. Treatment with alpha-lipoic acid caused a small non-significant increase in sci atic nerve NGFLI, but normalised both NPYLI levels and stimulus-evoked release of SPLI. These findings indicate that alpha-lipoic acid can b oost neurotrophic support in diabetic rats, with effects beyond those related to NGF. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.