L-carnitine treatment improves brain stem auditory evoked potentials in diabetic rats

Abstract

The effect of L-carnitine (LC) on brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), was examined in alloxan-diabetic rats. LC (200 mg kg-1, i.p., once daily) was given to diabetic rats starting from the third week after the induction of diabetes, lasting for 4 weeks. Age-matched non-diabetic rats served as controls. The latency of wave I and interpeak latency I-IV were measured once weekly. Diabetes-induced deficits in BAEP latencies (p < 0.05, diabetics vs non-diabetic controls) were improved after LC treatment (p < 0.05, LC-treated diabetic rats vs non-diabetic controls). Weight and glucose levels were not influenced by LC treatment. Our results suggest that LC had beneficial effects on diabetic central neuropathy but these effects are not associated with the regulation of glycaemia in alloxan-diabetic rats.