Early insulin treatment prevents the loss of nitrergic neurons in the ileum and colon and restores altered gut motility in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Aims: It has been demonstrated that the nitrergic neurons are susceptible to the development of neuropathy in diabetes and impairment in nitrergic innervation may lead to motility disorders. Since available data are contradictory, the mechanisms through which nitrergic neurons are involved in diabetic complications remain unclear. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: age-matched controls, streptozotocin-induced diabetics and diabetics with insulin replacement. Ten weeks after the onset of diabetes 2 animals in each group were killed by cervical dislocation and gut segments were process…