Skip to main content
Log in

Comparison of the effects of aminoguanidine and L-carnitine treatments on somatosensorial evoked potentials in alloxan-diabetic rats

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of aminoguanidine (AG) and L-carnitine (LC) on somatosensorial evoked potential (SEP) latency and neural levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), products of lipid peroxidation, were compared in alloxan-diabetic rats. AG and LC were given to diabetic rats starting from the 3rd week after the induction of diabetes and lasting for 4 weeks. SEP latency was measured by stimulating via caudal nerve and recording via cortex, once weekly during the treatments. Diabetes caused deficits in SEP (P < 0.05 vs non-diabetic control rats, respectively). AG and LC restored SEP latencies slightly but not significantly, with the exception of the prominent effect of AG at the first week and both treatments at the 4th week of the treatments (P < 0.05 vs untreated diabetic rats, respectively). Diabetes caused elevation in neural TBARS levels (P < 0.05 vs non-diabetic group), which was prevented by both AG and LC (P < 0.05 vs untreated diabetic rats, respectively). Weight and the glucose levels were not influenced by the treatments. Our results suggest that AG improves SEP latencies better than LC. Our results also suggest that the beneficial effects of both AG and LC on diabetic neuropathy are not associated with the regulation of glycemia, but these effects may be related in part with prevention of lipid peroxidation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allison T, Huma AL (1981) A comparative analysis of short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in man, monkey, cat and rat. Exp Neurol 72:592–611

    Google Scholar 

  • Baynes JW (1991) Role of oxidative stress in the development of complications in diabetes. Diabetes 40:405–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Biessels GJ, Kappelle AC, Bravenboer B, Erkelens DW, Gispen WH (1994) Cerebral function in diabetes. Diabetologia 37:643–650

    Google Scholar 

  • Bravenboer B. Kappelle AC, Hamers FTP, van Buren T, Erkelens DW, Gispen WH (1992) Potential use of glutathione for the prevention and treatment of diabetic neuropathy in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Diabetologia 35:813–817

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks DE, McIntosh JEA (1975) Turnover of carnitine by rat tissues. Biochem J 148:439–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee M, Vlassara H, Kooney A, Ulrich P, Cerami A (1986) Aminoguanidine prevents diabetes-induced arterial wall protein cross-linking. Science 232:1629–1632

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee M, Cerami A, Vlassara H (1988) Advanced glycation end products in tissue and the biochemical basis of diabetic complications. N Eng J Med 318:1315–1321

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron NE, Leonard MB, Ross IS, Whiting H (1986) The effects of sorbinil on peripheral nerve conduction velocity, polyol concentrations and morphology in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat. Diabetologia 29:168–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Maxfield EK (1993) Antioxidant treatment prevents the development of peripheral nerve dysfunction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Diabetologia 36: 299–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Archibald V, Dines KC, Maxfield EK (1994) Anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant effects on nerve conduction velocity, endoneural blood flow and oxygen tension in nondiabetic and streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Diabetologia 37: 449–459

    Google Scholar 

  • Conti M, Morand PC, Levillain P, Lemonnier A (1991) Improved flourometric determination of malonaldehyde. Clin Chem 37:1273–1275

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbett JA, Tilton RG, Chang K, Hasan KS, Ido Y, Wang JI, Sweetland MA, Lanchester JR. Williamson JR, McDaniel MI (1992) Aminoguanidine, a novel inhibitor of nitric oxide formation, prevents diabetic vascular dysfunction. Diabetes 41: 552–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Dey J, Misra A, Desai NG, Mohapatra AK, Padma MV (1995): Cerebral function in relatively young subset of NIDDM patients. Diabetologia 38:251

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Giulio AM, Gorio A, Bertelli A, Mantegazza P, Ferraris L, Ramacci MT (1992) Acetyl-L-carnitine prevents substance P loss in the sciatic nerve and lumbar spinal cord of diabetic animals. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 12:243–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyck PJ, Hansen S, Karnes J, O'Brien P, Yasuda H, Windebank A, Zimmerman B (1985) Capillary number and percentage closed in human diabetic neuropathy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82: 2513–2517

    Google Scholar 

  • Edelstein D, Brownlee M (1992) Mechanistic studies of advanced glycation end product inhibition by aminoguanidine. Diabetes 41:26–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorio A, Di Giulio AM, Tenconi B, Donadoni L, Germani E, Bertelli A, Mantegazza P, Maccari F, Ramacci MT (1992) Peptide alterations in autonomic diabetic neuropathy prevented by acetyl-l-carnitine. Int J Clin Pharm Res 12: 225–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene DA, Lewis RA, Lattimer SA, Brown MJ (1982) Selective effects of myo-inositol administration on sciatic and tibial motor nerve conduction parameters in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat. Diabetes 31:573–578

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene DA, Lattimer SA, Sima AAF (1987) Sorbitol, phosphoinositides, and sodium-potassium-ATPase in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. N Eng J Med 316:599–606

    Google Scholar 

  • Ido Y, McHowat J, Chang KC, Arrigoni-Martelli E, Orfalian Z, Kilo C, Corr PB, Williamson JR (1994) Neural dysfunction and metabolic imbalances in diabetic rats: Prevention by acetyl-L-carnitine. Diabetes 43:1469–1477

    Google Scholar 

  • Jain SK, McVie R, Duett J, Herbst JJ (1989) Erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation and glycosylated haemoglobin in diabetes. Diabetes 38:1539–1543

    Google Scholar 

  • Karasu Ç, Dewhurst M, Stevens EJ, Tomlinson DR (1995) Effects of anti-oxidant treatment on sciatic nerve dysfunction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats; comparison with essential fatty acids. Diabetologia 38:129–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennnedy L, Baynes JW (1984) Nonenzymatic glycosylation and the chronic complications of diabetes: an overview. Diabetologia 26:93–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumari K, Umar S, Bansal V, Sahib MK (1991a) Inhibition of diabetes associated complications by nucleophilic compounds. Diabetes 40:1079–1084

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumari K, Umar S, Bansal V, Sahib MK (1991b) Monoaminoguanidine inhibits aldose reductase. Biochem Pharmacol 4:1527–1528

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindell SE, Nilsson K, Roos B-E, Westling H (1960) The effect of enzyme inhibitors on histamine catabolism in man. Br J Pharmacol 15:351–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Loven D, Schedl H, Wilson H, Daabes TT, Stegink LD, Diekus M, Oberley L (1986) Effects of insulin and oral glutathione on glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activities in organs of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Diabetes 35: 503–507

    Google Scholar 

  • Low PA (1987) Recent advances in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy Muscle Nerve 10:121–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Low PA, Nickander KK (1991) Oxygen free radical effects in sciatic nerve in experimental diabetes. Diabetes 40:873–877

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 193: 265–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Malone JI, Lowitt S, Corsico N, Orfalian Z (1992) Altered neuroexcitability in experimental diabetic neuropathy: Effect of acetyl-L-carnitine. Int J Clin Pharm Res 12:237–241

    Google Scholar 

  • McCord JM (1985) Oxygen-free radical effects in postischemic tissue injury. N Eng J Med 312:159–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Merry AC, Kamijo M, Lattimer SA, Ristic H, Sima AAF (1994) Long term prevention and intervention effects of Acetyl-L-carnitine on diabetic neuropathy (Abstract). Diabetes 43 [Suppl 1]: 108A

  • Misko TP, Moore WM, Kasten TP, Nickels GA, Corbett JA, Tilton RG, McDaniel ML, Williamson JR, Currie (1993) Selective inhibition of inducable nitric oxide synthase by aminoguanidine. Eur J Pharmacol 233:119–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyoshi T, Goto I (1973) Serial in vivo determinations of nerve conduction velocity in rat tails: physiological and pathological changes. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 35: 125–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Morabito E, Serafini S, Corsico N, Arrigoni Martelli (1993) Acetyl-L-carnitine effect on nerve conduction velocity in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Arzneim- Forsch/Drug Res 43:343–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishigaki I, Hagihara M, Tsunekawa T, Masaki M, Yagi K (1981) Lipid peroxide level of serum lipoprotein fractions of diabetic patients. Biochem Med 25:373–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Oberley LW (1988) Free radicals and diabetes. Free Radic Biol Med 5:113–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohkawa H, Ohishi N, Yagi K (1979) Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissues by thiobarbituric-acid reaction. Anal Biochem 95:351–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Picard S, Parthasarathy S, Fruebis J, Witztum JL (1992) Aminoguanidine inhibits oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein and the subsequent increase in uptake by macrophage scavenger receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89: 6876–6880

    Google Scholar 

  • Pieper GM, Garrett JG (1988) Oxygen free radicals abolish endothelium dependent relaxation in diabetic rat aorta. Am J Physiol 255:H825-H833

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitchard KA, Patel STJ, Karpen CW, Newman HAI, Pangamala RV (1986) Triglyceride lowering effect of dietary vitamin E in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Increased lipoprotein lipase activity in livers of diabetic rats fed high dietary vitamin E. Diabetes 35:278–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Quatraro A, Roca P, Donzella C, Acampora R, Marfella R, Guiglano D (1995) Acetyl-L-carnitine for symptomatic diabetic neuropathy. Diabetologia 38:123

    Google Scholar 

  • Sass RL, Wermess P (1973) Acetylcarnitine: on the relationship between structure and function. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 55:736–742

    Google Scholar 

  • Saulis-Liparota T, Cooper ME, Dunlop M, Jerums G (1995) The relative roles of advanced glycation, oxidation and aldose reductase inhibition in the development of experimental diabetic neuropathy in the Spraque-Dawley rat. Diabetologia 38:387–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmelzer JD, Zochodne DW, Low PA (1989) Ischemic and reperfusion injury of rat peripheral nerve. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:1639–1642

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens MJ, Lattimer SA, Feldman E (1994) Protective effects of Acetyl-L-carnitine on ketogenesis and sciatic nerve function in the streptozocin diabetic rat (Abstract). Diabetes 43 [Suppl 1]:17A

  • Stevens MJ, Lattimer SA, Greene DA (1995) Discrepant dose-responses of nerve conduction and Na/K-ATPase in the diabetic rat to acetyl-L-carnitine (Abstract). Diabetologia 38 [Suppl 1]:A7

    Google Scholar 

  • Tesco G, Latoracca S, Piersanti P, Piacentini S, Amaducci L, Sorbi S (1992) Protection from oxygen radical damage in human diploid fibroblasts by acetyl-L-carnitine. Dementia 3:58–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Winegrad AI (1987) Banting Lecture 1986. Does a common mechanism induce the diverse complications of diabetes? Diabetes 36:396–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Yagihashi S, Kamijo M, Baba M, Yagihashi N, Nagai K (1992) Effects of aminoguanidine on functional and structural abnormalities in peripheral nerve of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes 41:47–52

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yildiz, O., Özata, M., Özkardeş, A. et al. Comparison of the effects of aminoguanidine and L-carnitine treatments on somatosensorial evoked potentials in alloxan-diabetic rats. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 354, 526–531 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168446

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168446

Key words

Navigation