Effect of Dan-Hong injection on peripheral neuropathy in experimental rats with type I diabetes

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of Dan-Hong injection on peripheral neuropathy in experimental rats with type I diabetes. Methods Forty Wistar male rats were chose in our study and divided into Dan- Hong injection group, mecobalamin treatment group, model group and normal control group (n=10); rat models of type I diabetes in the first three groups were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Different drugs were given to these rats, and 12 weeks after model making, the blood glucose level and the body weight were measured; footprints gaits were analyzed; nerve conduction velocity was observed; immumohistochemical staining and HE staining were employed to detect the pathological alterations of intraepidermal nerve fiber and peripheral nerve tissues. Results As compared with model group, rats in Dan- Hong injection group had increased nerve conduction velocity and footprint parameters with statistical differences ([62.05 ± 5.45] m/s vs [37.72±4.06] m/s; [22.00±0.34] mm vs [22.74±0.19] mm; [10.79±0.22] mm vs [11.49±0.14] mm; [17.50± 0.16] mm vs [17.67±0.17] mm) (P<0.05). The number of intraepidermal nerve fiber was increased and the pathological damage of peripheral nerves was obvious improved in the Dan-Hong injection group as compared with those in the model group; the nervous tissues showed edema with myelin fuzzy and swelling of the axon, which had been much improved as compared with those in the model group. Conclusions Dan- Hong injection can prevent and improve peripheral neuropathy of rats with type I diabetes. Key words: Dan- Hong injection; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Animal model