Abstract

Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roem has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of diabetic mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanol extracts of T. sinensis seeds on diabetic peripheral neuropathy and the preliminary mechanism. Male wistar rats were used for inducing diabetic peripheral neuropathy model, the variation of body weight; blood glucose, general status, thermal perception thresholds and sciatic nerve conduction velocity were used to confirm the diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. After the treatment, the sciatic nerve conduction velocity was accelerated, the tailflick latency was reduced, the hyperglycemia and oxidative stress injury in sciatic nerve were ameliorated, contents of serum nerve growth factor β were up-regulated and tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-6 were down-regulated significantly (P<0.05) compared with the model rats. This research demonstrates that ethanol extracts of T. sinensis seeds offers potential for intervening diabetic peripheral neuropathy and the protective mechanisms may be alleviating hyperglycemia, inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating growth factor and inflammatory cytokines.