Botox, Ginkgo may relieve diabetic nerve pain

Injections of botulinum toxin A relieve pain in an animal model of diabetic neuropathy, according to research reported at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in San Diego.

Diabetic neuropathy is a term used for the nerve damage that occurs in people with diabetes and that often leads to pain, numbness, or tingling in the feet and hands.

Five days after scientists injected the paw pad of rats with diabetic neuropathy with botulinum toxin A, the animals became less sensitive to pain, as demonstrated by reductions in flinches and shaking of the injected paw, compared with diabetic rats treated with saline. The effect lasted for 15 days.

Dr. Zdravko Lackovic, from Zagreb University in Croatia and colleagues believe this is the first demonstration that a single shot of botulinum toxin might have a long-lasting pain-relieving effect in diabetic neuropathy. Botulinum toxin A is commonly known as Botox, although the product goes by several brand names.

A second presentation at the meeting hints that a combination of Ginkgo biloba extract and folate reduces symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

For their research, Dr. Susanne Koeppen, from the University of Essen in Germany, and colleagues randomly assigned 60 diabetic patients with neuropathy to Ginkgo biloba extract, folate, both agents, or placebo.

"We found out that all three active treatments were superior to placebo, with the best effect seen with the combination of folate and Ginkgo biloba extract," told Reuters Health.

"I think it is important to know that even a short treatment period can have an effect on neuropathic symptoms," she added, even though there were no changes in electrophysiologic tests.