The aim of this short communication article was to enlighten the role of polyol pathway in pathophysiology of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) through an evidence-informed overview of current literature. Findings from experimental models of DPN suggest that altered glutathione redox state, with exaggerated NA(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, increased malondialdehyde content, decreased red blood cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration, reduced cyclic adenosine monophosphate, reduced myo-inositol and excessive sorbitol in peripheral nerves were indicative of polyol metabolic pathwayin producing pathophysiological changes of DPN, and treatments using aldose reductase inhibitors were found to reverse those changes.

Keywords: Polyol pathway; Myo-inositol; Sorbitol; Neurophysiology; Endocrinology.