Novel Therapeutic Intervention using Coenzyme Q10 and Insulin Sensitizer on Experimentally- Initiated Diabetic Neuropathy

Abstract

Diabetes is one of the main disease having many repercussions due to which there is a huge economic burden globally. Therefore, there is a need of good therapeutic intervention by using some nutraceuticals to combat this dreadful disease especially complications such as diabetic neuropathy where patients suffer from severe pain and disability. Therefore, nutraceuticals like coenzyme Q10 and metformin were used in this study to see how they are effective in alleviating the symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The animal experiments were conducted to induce neuropathy by using streptozotocin-nicotinamide. Animals were divided into five groups such as control, diabetic control, coenzyme Q10, metformin, and their combination. The nerve function test was conducted by using paw withdrawal response, tail-flick response, and muscular grip strength. Antioxidant parameters were assessed by estimating such MDA, SOD, and GSH. The sciatica nerve was isolated and a histopathological examination was conducted. Neuropathy was assessed in diabetic control animals which showed a substantial decrease in grip strength, increase in the paw withdrawal, and tail-flick response. It was found that there was a rapid improvement in nerve function test when a combination of coenzyme Q10 and metformin was given together as compared to animals given coenzyme Q10 and metformin alone. From this study, it is shown that combination therapy exhibited a better improvement in the nerve function test and control of the free radical generation which ultimately results in nerve damage.