Fullerene C60 Nanoparticle Attenuates Pain and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Α Protein Expression in the Hippocampus Following Diabetic Neuropathy in Rats

Introduction: diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. it is associated with nerve damage due to oxidative stress and high levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. in the present study, we examined the anti-nociceptive effects of fullerene nanoparticle, as a potent anti-oxidant, during diabetic neuropathy. methods: diabetes mellitus induced through injection of streptozotocin (stz) (40 mg/kg). four groups were used in the study as follows: the control, control+fullerene, diabetes, and diabetes +fullerene groups. all four groups received sesame oil. treatment rats received fullerene c60 (1mg/kg/day) for 9 weeks by intra-gastric gavage. then, cold allodynia, histology, and tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf- α) protein expression of the hippocampus were measured 9 weeks after injection of stz. results: our data revealed that stz induces cold allodynia in both hind paws and increases the tnf- α protein expression in the hippocampus. furthermore, stz induces neural degeneration in the hippocampus. additionally, fullerene c60 significantly attenuated cold allodynia and tnf- α protein expression. also, fullerene c60 has neuro-protective effects on hippocampal neurons. however, fullerene c60 did not significantly reduce serum glucose levels in diabetic animals. conclusion: our data suggest that fullerene c60 likely suppressed pain, and neural loss by inhibitory effects on tnf- α protein expression in the hippocampus during diabetes.