Objective: 

Current study aimed to investigate diabetes- and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and alpha lipoic acid supplementation- induced changes in the conduction velocity distributions of the rat sciatic nerve fibers.

Methods: 

Sciatic nerve compound action potentials (CAP) were recorded by suction electrode and the conduction velocity distributions were done by collision technique.

Results: 

Diabetes resulted in the significant increase in time to peak, rheobase and chronaxie values of these CAP waveforms. Meanwhile the maximum depolarization, area, kinetics and the conduction velocities of both fast and slow nerve fiber groups were found to be decreased. CoQ10 was found to have some positive effects on the diabetes induced alterations. This supplementation induced positive changes mainly seen in the area and fall down phase of the kinetics of CAP waveforms as well as rheobase, chronaxie and speed of the intermediately conducting groups (approximately 40 m/sec). Alpha lipoic acid supplementation did not produce any effect. The current study has shown for the first time that diabetes induced shift of actively contributing nerve fibers towards the slower conduction velocities. Meanwhile supplementation of CoQ10 not only stopped this shift but also started to restore towards the age matched control group values.

Conclusion: 

Besides the altered mitochondrial phenomenon, positive effects seen on diabetic neuropathy can be attributed to antioxidant property of CoQ10.