IDENTIFICATION OF NATURAL COMPOUND FOR ATTENUATION OF DIABETIC NEUROPATHIC PAIN

Abstract

Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve damaging microvascular complication which is a result of long term diabetes contracted by more than 50% of diabetic individuals. It is responsible for pain, infection, numbness, foot ulceration and limb amputations. The cases of diabetes have risen exponentially in all income countries across the globe. As per the current treatment options available, pain management by physical therapy, diet control and certain drugs have been approved. But these drugs come with certain side effects such as blurry vision, headaches, sleep deprivation, nausea, hot flushes etc. along with display of certain mental side effects. To avoid these, certain natural compounds can be used to inhibit multiple pathways involved in diabetic neuropathy progression and do not show excessive side effects. Thus, with the help of in-silico methods, pharmacophore models of FDA approved drugs were generated and a list of natural compounds were curated which was then validated by docking and 2D visualization was done. 2,3-Dimethylbenzoic acid obtained from Cinnamomum porrectum was found out to be the best docked phytochemical against calcium channel as compared to FDA approved drugs. Cinnamomum porrectum is currently being used in Indian medicinal practices as antirheumatic agent. Thus, it can be used as a substitute for attenuating neuropathic pain.