Extensive animal data now exist to indicate potential benefit of
sorbinil in the treatment of the major
complications of diabetes mellitus. A clinical programme has been constructed to explore this therapeutic potential and encouraging evidence of
drug effect has already been observed in patients with neuropathy and retinopathy. Two small preliminary studies in patients with
painful neuropathy have shown that clinically significant reduction of
pain was more frequently achieved with
sorbinil than with placebo. A 6-month study of patients with retinopathy, using vitreous fluorophotometry as the criterion of
retinal damage, showed significant (p = 0.03) benefit for the
sorbinil group compared with the placebo group.
Drug evaluation in these areas is complex and difficult but it is anticipated that the accumulation of additional data will further substantiate the efficacy suggested by these early findings. The only clinically important adverse effect of
sorbinil is the
hypersensitivity reaction. This usually occurs during the initial weeks of
therapy and is similar to that seen with
phenytoin. The long term use of
sorbinil is without significant adverse effects.