Nonesterified fatty acids in normal and diabetic rat sciatic nerve.

Alloxan-induced diabetes in rats results in elevated levels of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) in whole sciatic nerve and its endoneurium. Increases in NEFA levels are more pronounced in whole diabetic nerve (40% over control) than in its endoneurial portion (20-30%). Alterations in the composition of phospholipid fatty acids are observed as well, including an increase in linoleate (18:2n-6) in endoneurial phosphatidylethanolamine and a decrease in arachidonate (20:4n-6) in both phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol of diabetic nerve.