The influence of mildronate on peripheral neuropathy and some characteristics of glucose and lipid metabolism in rat streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus model

Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce the diabetic rat model. STZ rats were treated with mildronate (100 mg/kg daily, per os or intraperitoneally for 6 weeks). Body weight, blood glucose, triglyceride, ketone body concentrations, glycated hemoglobin percent (HbA1c%), glucose tolerance, and the development of neuropathic pain were monitored throughout the experiment. In the STZ + mildronate group, mildronate treatment caused a significant decrease in mean blood glucose (on week 4) and triglyceride concentrations (on weeks 3-6), significantly slowed the increase in HbA1c% (on week 6) and improved glucose tolerance 120 minutes after glucose ingestion during oral glucose tolerance test versus the STZ group. Mildronate completely protected development of STZ-induced neuropathic pain from the first administration week up to end of the experiment. The obtained data indicate clinical usefulness of the drug for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its complications.