Evaluation of therapeutic potential of intraperitoneal ozone gas in combination with insulin above cranial and spinal neuropathy in rats with diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of ozone in combination with insulin on cranial and spinal neuropathy in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following six groups (n = 10): control (C), ozone (O), diabetic (D), ozone-treated diabetic (DO), insulin-treated diabetic (DI), and ozone, insulin-treated diabetic (DOI). DM was induced by a single intraperitoneal (ip) streptozotocin injection (60 mg/kg), followed by 3 IU (ip) insulin administration for 60 days. Next, 1.1 mg/kg (50 mu g/ml) ozone was administered to the O, DO, and DOI groups for 60 days. After inducing diabetes, the total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) were measured; the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. The brain and spinal cord tissues were obtained for histopathological evaluation. This cross sectional study was conducted in Dumlupinar University Laboratory Animals Research Center e.g 11.03.2015 - 15.05.2015. RESULTS: TAS was higher in the DO, DI, and DOI groups than in the D group. TOS and OSI were lower in the DO, DI, and DOI groups than in the D group. Little pathological alterations with degenerated axons and vascular congestion were observed in the DO, DI, and DOI groups compared with the D group. CONCLUSION: Ozone with insulin can stimulate the endogenous antioxidant defense mechanism in diabetic neuropathy, thereby preventing reactive oxygen species-induced damage and protecting against cranial and spinal neuropathies.