The relation between hyperglycemia and diabetic neuropathy has already been demonstrated in some studies. Among the theories proposed for its etiology the oxidative stress stands out. The performance of nitric oxide as a link between the metabolic and vascular neuropathogenic factors that triggers the diabetic neuropathy has already been put forward. This study aimed to assess the quantification and measurements of the cell body profile area (CBPA) of NADPH-diaphorase reactive (NADPH-dp) myenteric neurons of the jejunum of diabetic rats (induced by streptozotocin) supplemented with Ascorbic Acid (AA). These changes in the myenteric neurons seem to be related to the gastrointestinal disturbances observed in diabetes mellitus (DM). Twenty male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were distributed in 4 groups (n=5): controls (C), control supplemented (CS), diabetic (D), and diabetic suplemented (DS). DM was induced by estreptozotocin (50mg/kg body wt). One week after the induction and confirmation of the DM (glycemia exam), animals of the groups CS and DS received 50mg of AA three times a week by gavage. After 90 days of experiment, the animals were anesthetized with lethal thiopental dose (40mg/kg) and the collected jejunum processed for the histochemistry NADPH-diaphorase technique. Whole-mount preparations were obtained for quantitative and morphometric analysis of the myenteric neurons. A quantity of jejunum neurons in the Group D (96±7.5) was not different (P>0.05) from Group DS (116±8.08), C (92±9.7), and CS (81±5.4), but in Group DS the quantity was higher (P<0.05) than in Group C and CS. The CBPA of neurons from Group D (189.50±2.68µm²) and DS (195.92±3.75µm²) were lower (P<0.05) than from Group C (225.13±4.37µm²) and CS (210.23±3.15µm²). The streptozotocin-induced DM did not change the jejunum-ileum area, the jejunum myenteric plexus space organization and the density of NADPH-dp neurons. The 50g AA-supplementation, three times a week, during 90 days, did not decrease hyperglycemia; however, it had a neuroprotective effect on the myenteric neurons, minimizing the increase on the CBPA of NADPH-dp neurons and increasing the amount of NADPD-dp neurons.

295Pesq. Vet. Bras. 29(4): 295-302, abril 2009 RESUMO.-[Efeitos da suplementação do ácido ascórbico nos neurônios mientéricos do íleo de ratos diabéticos induzidos por estreptozootocina.] A exacerbação do estresse oxidativo e da via do poliol que comprometem o plexo mioentérico são alterações metabóli-cas características do diabetes. O ácido ascórbico (AA) é antioxidante e inibidor da aldose redutase, podendo atuar como neuroprotetor. Verificaram-se os efeitos da suplementação com AA sobre o número e a área do perfil do corpo celular (PC) de neurônios mioentéricos em ratos diabéticos induzidos por estreptozootocina. Formaram-se quatro grupos com cinco animais cada: normoglicêmico (C); diabético (D); diabético tratado com AA (DS); e normoglicêmico tratado com AA (CS). Três vezes por semana administrou-se 50mg de AA para cada animal (grupos DS e CS). Após 90 dias e eutanásia com tiopental, o íleo foi coletado e processado para a técnica da NADPHdiaforase. Não se observaram diferenças (P>0,05) na densidade neuronal entre os grupos. A área do PC foi menor (P<0,05) para os grupos DS e CS, com incidência maior de neurônios com área do PC superior a 200μm 2 para os grupos C e D. Concluiu-se que o AA não influenciou a densidade neuronal do íleo, mas foi neuroprotetor The exacerbation of the oxidative stress and of the polyol pathway which impair damage myenteric plexus are metabolic characteristics of diabetes. The ascorbic acid (AA) is an antioxidant and an aldose reductase inhibitor, which may act as neuroprotector. The effects of AA supplementation on the density and cellular body profile area (CP) of myenteric neurons in STZ-induced diabetes in rats were assessed. Four groups with five animals each were formed: normoglycemic (C); diabetic (D); AA-treated diabetic (DS) and AA-treated normoglycemic (CS). Dosagen of 50mg of AA were given, three times a week, for each animal (group DS and CS). Ninety days later and after euthanasia, the ileum was collected and processed for the NADPH-diaphorase technique. There were no differences (P>0.05) in the neuronal density among the groups. The CP area was lower (P<0.05) in the DS and CS groups, with a higher incidence of neurons with a CP area exceeding 200μm 2 for groups C and D. The AA had no influence on the neuronal density in the ileum but had a neuroprotective effect, preventing the increase in the CP area and allowing a higher number of neurons with a CP area with less than 200μm 2 .INDEX TERMS: Vitamin C, diabetes, intestine, myenteric plexus.