Effects of eugenol on nerve and vascular dysfunction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Planta Med. 2006 May;72(6):494-500. doi: 10.1055/s-2005-916262.

Abstract

Hyperglycaemia in diabetes mellitus results in oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory changes which contribute to vascular complications including endothelial dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy. The aim of this study was to examine whether treatment with the dominant ingredient of clove oil, eugenol, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could improve diabetic vascular and nerve function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Intervention treatment was given for 2 weeks following 6 weeks of untreated diabetes. Dose-ranging studies on diabetic deficits in sciatic nerve motor and saphenous nerve sensory nerve conduction velocities gave ED50 values of 28 mg/kg and 9 mg/kg, respectively, conduction velocity being within the non-diabetic range at a dose of 200 mg/kg. Sciatic nerve endoneurial blood flow was 49% reduced by diabetes and this was completely corrected by 200 mg/kg eugenol treatment. Gastric fundus maximum nitrergic nerve-mediated relaxation was 44% reduced by diabetes; eugenol corrected this deficit by 69%. For renal artery rings, maximum endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine was 51% reduced by diabetes; eugenol corrected this deficit by 60%, with improvements in both nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarising factor (EDHF)-mediated vasorelaxation components. Diabetes increased renal artery sensitivity to phenylephrine-mediated contraction, however, this was unaffected by eugenol treatment. Thus, aspects of both vascular and neural complications in experimental diabetes are improved by eugenol, which could have potential therapeutic implications for diabetic neuropathy and vasculopathy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Clove Oil / administration & dosage
  • Clove Oil / pharmacology*
  • Clove Oil / therapeutic use
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / chemically induced
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / drug therapy*
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / chemically induced
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / drug therapy*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Eugenol*
  • Male
  • Neural Conduction / drug effects
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Regional Blood Flow / drug effects
  • Renal Artery / physiology
  • Sciatic Nerve / blood supply
  • Sciatic Nerve / physiology
  • Sciatic Neuropathy / chemically induced
  • Sciatic Neuropathy / drug therapy
  • Splanchnic Circulation / drug effects
  • Streptozocin
  • Vasodilation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Clove Oil
  • Eugenol
  • Streptozocin