MOFEGILINE HELPS ALLEVIATE SYMPTOMS OF NEUROPATHY IN DIABETIC RATS
Muneeb Ahmad Bhat*
ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is defined as the signs and symptoms of neuropathy in a patient with
diabetes in whom no other causes of neuropathy are known. DN is one of the commonest causes of peripheral
neuropathy. It accounts for more frequent hospitalisations than by other complications of diabetes and also is the
most frequent cause of non-traumatic amputation. A simple and internationally agreed definition of DPN is ―the
presence of symptoms and/or signs of peripheral nerve dysfunction in people with diabetes after the exclusion of
other causes. There are approximately 246 million people worldwide, out of which an estimated 20–30 million
people are affected by symptomatic diabetic neuropathy. The prevalence of diabetic neuropathy increases with
time and poor glycemic control, and poorly controlled diabetes can lead to severe diabetic polyneuropathy in
young adults within a few months after the onset. The conditions predisposing an individual to diabetic neuropathy
include hypertension, albuminuria (either microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria), any retinopathy, history of
cardiovascular disease, and history of smoking. The risk of developing a disabling peripheral neuropathy could be
decreased by optimum glycemic control, but the risk of hypoglycemia increases. Besides, glycemic control,
various other treatment options are available to treat patients with NP, such as: opioids, anticonvulsants, tricyclic
antidepressants, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, NMDA receptor antagonists, lipoic acid, protein kinase C inhibitors,
NSAIDs, ARIs, carnitine and capsaicin. The aim of this study is to explore the neuroprotective effects of
Mofegiline in diabetic neuropathy. Methods and Results: Diabetes was induced with a single dose of
Streptozotocin(60 mg/kg). The diabetic animals exhibited marked hyperglycemia, reduction in body weight and
symptoms of neuropathy like thermal hyperalgesia, thermal allodynia, cold allodynia and motor inco-ordination,
in comparison with the control animals. After 28 days of Mofegiline administration (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 30
mg/kg) in combination with Glimepiride (10 mg/kg), a significant reduction was seen in the serum glucose levels,
along with an improvement in body weight. Mofegiline caused the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy to improve in
a dose dependent manner. The most profound effects of Mofegiline were observed at the dose 30 mg/kg,
combined with Glimepiride (10 mg/kg), compared to diabetic control. Conclusion: Mofegiline improves
hyperalgesia and allodynia in STZ model of DN, by possible MAO-B inhibitory mechanism, resulting in
suppression of oxidative stress.
Keywords: thermal hyperalgesia, thermal allodynia, cold allodynia and motor inco-ordination.
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