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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Diabetes mellitus in long-term accompanies with inappropriate complications like retinopathy and neuropathy and increased pain sensation due to neuropathy. Since there is some evidence on protective and antidiabetic effects of Vaccinium myrtillus (VM), this study was designed to investigate the antinociceptive effect of Vaccinium myrtillus (VM) in streptozotocin-diabetic rats using formalin test and hot tail immersion tests.METHODS: In this experimental study, male rats were divided into equal-sized control, VM-treated control, diabetic, sodium salicylate (SS)-treated diabetic, and VM-treated diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, streptozotocin at a dose of 60 mg/kg (i.p) was injected. The treatment groups received oral administration of VM-mixed pelleted food (5%) for 6 weeks with no limitation. Finally, hyperalgesia were assessed using standard formalin and hot tail immersion tests.FINDINGS: VM treatment of diabetic rats reduced pain score in chronic phase up to 17.9% (p

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is followed by higher incidence of cardiovascular disorders. There issome evidence on protective and antidiabetic effects of Vaccinium myrtillus (VM). Thus, theendothelium-dependent and –independent effect of oral administration of VM for 6 weeks on contractileand relaxatory response of thoracic aorta from diabetic rats was investigated.Materials and Methods: Male rats were divided into control, VM-treated control, diabetic and VMtreateddiabetic groups. Treated groups received VM-mixed pelleted food at a weight ratio of 5%. Bodyweight and serum glucose levels were measured before the study and at weeks 3 and 6. At the end ofstudy, contractile reactivity of thoracic aortic rings to KCl and phenylephrine and relaxatory response toacetylcholine (with endothelium) and sodium nitroprusside (without endothelium) was determined usingisolated tissue setup.Results: Serum glucose levels significantly decreased in VM-treated diabetic group versus untreateddiabetics (p=0.04). In addition, endothelium-intact VM-treated diabetic group showed a significantlylower contraction to KCl and phenylephrine (p=0.04) as compared to diabetic group and endotheliumremoval reduced this difference. Meanwhile, relaxation response of endothelium-intact rings toacetylcholine was significantly higher in VM-treated diabetic group as compared to diabetics (p=0.02).Conclusion: Chronic oral administration of VM through affecting synthesis and release of endothelialvasoactive agents and also via direct effects on vascular smooth muscle could decrease contractile andenhance relaxatory responses in aortic tissue of diabetic rat. These effects may have the beneficial effectsin prevention of some long-term vascular complications of diabetes.