Related Experiment Videos
Improvement in peripheral nerve function after one year of Sorbinil
M A Gieron1, J I Malone, S Lowitt
1Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa 33606.
Neuroreport
|June 1, 1991
Summary
The aldose reductase inhibitor Sorbinil showed no immediate effect on diabetic neuropathy. However, long-term treatment (52 weeks) significantly improved nerve function in adult diabetics.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus.
- Aldose reductase inhibitors aim to reduce sorbitol accumulation in tissues, a proposed mechanism in diabetic nerve damage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Sorbinil, an aldose reductase inhibitor, in improving peripheral nerve function in adult patients with clinical diabetic neuropathy.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 23 adult diabetics with neuropathy.
- Subjects received either 250 mg/day of Sorbinil or placebo for 4 weeks, followed by open-label Sorbinil for 52 weeks for some participants.
- Measurements included red cell sorbitol, HbA1c, vibratory sensation, and median nerve sensory/motor conduction velocities.
Main Results:
- No significant changes in peripheral nerve function were observed after 4 weeks of Sorbinil treatment.
- After 52 weeks, significant improvements in median nerve motor and sensory conduction velocities were noted.
- Erythrocyte sorbitol levels decreased, while blood glucose control (HbA1c) remained unchanged.
Conclusions:
- Sorbinil treatment demonstrates a delayed beneficial effect on peripheral nerve conduction velocities in diabetic neuropathy.
- The therapeutic benefit appears independent of glycemic control but is associated with reduced sorbitol levels.