Rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes have a decreased rate of sciatic nerve regeneration. We studied the effects on this defect of treatment with the aldose reductase inhibitor, ponalrestat (25 mg/kg per day via an endogastric tube). The nerves of diabetic rats were crush-injured at 5 weeks of diabetes and regeneration evaluated 7 days later with the pinch-reflex test. Ponalrestat treatment was started at day 3 after streptozotocin injection and was continued for the whole experimental period, i.e. until 6 weeks of diabetes. The treatment prevented effectively the accumulation of sorbitol and fructose in the nerves of diabetic rats, but was without effect on the sciatic nerve regeneration (controls 21.8 +/- 1.2 mm/7 days (mean +/- SEM, n = 6), untreated diabetics 15.8 +/- 1.8 (n = 7), ponalrestat-treated diabetics 16.2 +/- 1.0 (n = 10]. The results indicate that there is no connection between increased sorbitol pathway flux and impaired regeneration in streptozotocin diabetic rats.