Background: Diabetic neuropathy, a major chronic complication of diabetes, results from hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Spirulina platensis, a nutrient-rich cyanobacterium, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential blood sugar-lowering effects. This study evaluated Spirulina's effects on blood sugar and pain behavior in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Methods P < 0.01), while non-diabetic groups remained normoglycemic. Body weight improved modestly in Spirulina-treated diabetic rats (200.8 ± 4.0 g to 212.9 ± 4.1 g), compared with minimal gains in diabetic controls. Formalin-induced nociceptive scores were highest in diabetic rats (1st phase: 2.18 ± 0.08; 2nd phase: 2.03 ± 0.07). Spirulina significantly attenuated nociception in both phases (1.67 ± 0.06 and 1.53 ± 0.05; P < 0.01), indicating both anti-neurogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Sodium salicylate reduced pain predominantly in the late phase. Conclusion: Spirulina platensis exhibits strong antihyperglycemic, metabolic, and antinociceptive effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Its combined antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and insulin-modulating activities suggest promising therapeutic potential for managing diabetic neuropathy and associated metabolic disturbances. Further mechanistic and clinical studies are warranted to validate its translational applicability.
Shahnaz et al. (Fri,) studied this question.