RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on motor nerve conduction, autonomic cardiac function, and nerve blood flow in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes: comparison with an aldose reductase inhibitor. JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 49 OP 55 VO 276 IS 1 A1 N Hotta A1 N Koh A1 F Sakakibara A1 J Nakamura A1 Y Hamada A1 T Wakao A1 T Hara A1 K Mori A1 K Naruse A1 E Nakashima A1 N Sakamoto YR 1996 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/276/1/49.abstract AB The effects of propionyl-L-carnitine (PCAL) on caudal motor nerve conduction velocity, the coefficient of variation of the R-R interval on the electrocardiogram, and sciatic nerve blood flow were compared with those of [5-(3-thienyl)tetrazol-1-yl] acetic acid monohydrate, an aldose reductase inhibitor, in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Diabetic control rats showed significantly delayed nerve conduction (P < .05), decreased R-R variability (P < .05) and reduced sciatic nerve blood flow (P < .05). Oral administration of PCAL (0.5 g/kg/day) and [5-(3-thienyl)tetrazol-1-yl] acetic acid monohydrate (0.05% in the diet: 60 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks significantly improved both nerve conduction (P < .05) and R-R variability (P < .05) in diabetic rats, along with the normalization of sciatic nerve blood flow. PCAL treatment increased the nerve tissue levels of carnitine and myo-inositol and reduced the serum triglyceride level in diabetic rats. Our results suggests that PCAL could have therapeutic potential for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.