DIABETE E DOLORE: EFFETTO TERAPEUTICO DEI METABOLITI DEL TESTOSTERONE

The study investigated the effects of testosterone metabolites, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 5?-androstane-3?,17?-diol (3?-diol), on diabetic neuropathic pain in rats. Diabetic neuropathy, a common complication of diabetes, often involves neuropathic pain, which is difficult to manage. The research found that diabetes significantly decreased DHT levels in the spinal cord, which were restored by DHT or 3?-diol treatments. Both metabolites demonstrated analgesic properties, affecting different pain parameters through distinct mechanisms. DHT improved mechanical nociceptive thresholds and reduced neuroinflammatory markers, while 3?-diol was effective on tactile allodynia and modulated various inflammatory and pain-related proteins. These findings suggested that testosterone metabolites could be potential therapeutic agents for diabetic neuropathic pain.