Abstract
Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) is a common and intractable complication of diabetes. Conventional therapies are always not ideal; development of novel drugs is still needed to achieve better pain relief. Recent evidences have demonstrated that inflammation is involved in the onset and maintenance of DPNP. The anti-inflammatory property of Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) makes it a promising candidate to block or alter the pain perception. This study was conducted to investigate whether TIIA could attenuate DPNP in streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced rats model and its potential mechanisms. TIIA was administered to STZ-induced diabetic rats at the dose of 40 mg/kg once a day for 3 weeks. The effects of TIIA on thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were investigated using behavioral tests. The mRNA level and expression of interleukin- (IL-) 1β, interleukin- (IL-) 6, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, and interleukin- (IL-) 10 in the fourth to sixth segments of the dorsal root ganglion (L4–6 DRG) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. TIIA treatment significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in diabetic rats. In addition, the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α was inhibited, and the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was increased by TIIA. This study demonstrated that TIIA has significant antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic effects in a rat model of STZ-induced DPNP, and the effect may be associated with its anti-inflammation property.
Highlights
The prevalence of Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) ranges from 20% to 24% in patients with diabetes and from 40% to 50% in those with diabetic neuropathies [1, 2]
DPNP is characterized by spontaneous pain, hyperalgesia, and allodynia, some of which even progressed to hypoalgesia at advanced stage, which often leads to sleep disorder and depression and passively affects patients’ health-related quality of life [3]
We found that Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) treatment attenuated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in the rats with diabetes
Summary
The prevalence of DPNP ranges from 20% to 24% in patients with diabetes and from 40% to 50% in those with diabetic neuropathies [1, 2]. DPNP is characterized by spontaneous pain, hyperalgesia, and allodynia, some of which even progressed to hypoalgesia at advanced stage, which often leads to sleep disorder and depression and passively affects patients’ health-related quality of life [3]. The mechanism underlining DPNP is still unclear. The existing treatment for DPNP is mainly focusing on glycemic control and lifestyle changes. Available drugs such as antidepressants, sodium and calcium channel blockers, and opioids are often ineffective and complicated by adverse events [5]. It is imperative to search effective agents for the distressing complication of diabetes
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