Abstract: An enzymatic assay for myo-inositol (MI) was modified. The method is based on the oxidation of MI by NAD(+)-dependent MI dehydrogenase, coupled to reoxidation of NADH by iodonitrotetrazolium chloride and diaphorase. The resultant formazan is measured spectrophotometrically. In order to remove interference by glucose, preliminary phosphorylation of glucose by hexokinase was employed before the above reaction. The assay is quantitative for MI in amounts ranging from 1 to 20 nmol. This method gives a negligible blank, even in the measurement of rat serum. The reduced MI content in the sciatic nerve and lens of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats recovered in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with a novel potent aldose reductase inhibitor, GP-1447 ¿3-[(4,5, 7-trifluorobenzothiazol-2-yl)methyl]-5-methylphenylacetic acid¿.

Abstract: The effects of a novel potent aldose reductase inhibitor, GP-1447 [3-[(4,5,7-trifluorobenzothiazol-2-yl)methyl]-5-methylphenylace tic acid] on the sciatic nerve blood flow in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were examined. Blood flow was analyzed in terms of mass, i.e. the volume of blood in tissue, and of velocity, i.e. the velocity of the blood flow. In diabetic rats, a 63% decrease in blood flow due to a decrease in velocity was observed. The blood mass in the same animals fluctuated, thereby increasing its range of values. Treatment with GP-1447 at a dose of 30 mg/kg per day for 4 consecutive weeks following a 3-week period without treatment ameliorated the reduced blood flow by 51%, and was accompanied by a recovery of velocity. The increase in the range of blood mass values was reversed by treatment with GP-1447. The restoration of the range of blood mass values, but not that of the blood flow, by GP-1447 was blocked by treatment with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine. Motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) changes in parallel with blood flow values, while it is inversely proportionate to alterations in the range of blood mass values. It is suggested that the observed beneficial effect of GP-1447 on blood flow is involved in the restoration of decreased MCV in diabetes. It would appear that GP-1447-induced amelioration of neurovascular defects is not mediated solely by the improvement of the NO system.

Abstract: GP-1447 {3-[(4,5,7-trifluorobenzothiazol-2-yl) methyl]-5-methylphenylacetic acid}, a novel aldose reductase (AR) inhibitor, exhibited highly potent and specific inhibition of AR activity from human placenta, human muscle, porcine and rat lens with IC50 values ranging from 3 to 10 nM. Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed non-competitive inhibition between DL-glyceraldehyde or beta-NADPH and inhibition of AR by GP-1447. In contrast to epalrestat, AR activity inhibited by GP-1447 did not recover after dialysis for 24 hr. Administration of GP-1447 to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 5 days beginning 1 week after STZ injection effectively inhibited the accumulation of sorbitol in the sciatic nerve, lens and retina with ED50 values of 0.25, 1.6 and 2.9 mg/kg/day, respectively. The motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) in STZ-induced diabetic rats was significantly decreased 4 weeks after the induction of diabetes. Treatment with GP-1447 for the following 2 weeks dose-dependently restored the decreased MCV with an ED50 value of 0.28 mg/kg/day. Administration of GP-1447 (3 and 15 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks beginning 3 days after STZ injection) completely prevented cataract formation and was accompanied by marked inhibition of sorbitol accumulation in the lens. Furthermore, partial reversibility of cataract formation and morphological changes of the lens was observed in diabetic rats treated with 15 mg/kg/day of GP-1447 for 5 weeks beginning 8 weeks after the induction of diabetes. From these results, GP-1447 would be expected to exert potent ameliorating effects on some diabetic complications. Potent inhibition of cataract formation will be one of the characteristics of this compound.