Abstract
Nerve crush injuries are commonly used models for axonotmesis to examine peripheral nerve regeneration. As evening primrose oil (EPO) is rich in omega-6 essential fatty acid component and gamma-linolenic acid, studies have shown the potential role of EPO in myelination. Seventy-two healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats were classified into three groups: normal group, control group, and experimental group. The result indicates that there was significant difference in toe-spreading reflex between the normal and the control groups (1.9 ± 0.031, p < 0.05) and the normal and the EPO groups (0.4 ± 0.031, p < 0.05) and significant difference between EPO and the control groups (1.5 ± 0.031, p < 0.05). Regeneration of axons and myelin in nerve fibre in the EPO-treated group developed better and faster than in the control group. In the control group, the shape of the axon was irregular with a thinner myelin sheath. In the experimental group, the shape of the axons, the thickness of the myelin sheath, and the diameter of the axons were almost the same as in the normal group. In conclusion, EPO supplementation may be beneficial as a therapeutic option for disturbances of nerve interaction.
Highlights
Peripheral nerve encompasses all the nerve trunks and branches which lie outside the central nervous system
The aim of this study is to determine the effect of evening primrose oil (EPO) supplementation on the rate of peripheral nerve regeneration after sciatic nerve injury, through morphological and morphometric analysis of the injured nerve
The light microscopic sections of sciatic nerve stained with Toluidine Blue at various time points are shown in Figure 1, where Figure 1(a) represents a photomicrograph of a normal rat
Summary
Peripheral nerve encompasses all the nerve trunks and branches which lie outside the central nervous system. Many experimental studies have focused on treatment options to enhance the recovery process of injured peripheral nerves in the rat model This includes the application of an electric field [6], surgical intervention, for example, nerve grafts and transplanting stem cells [8]. Despite being the major producer of myelin in the peripheral nervous system, Schwann cells play an important role in promoting axonal regeneration by producing neurotrophic factors such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) [10] Commercial drugs such as immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory drugs may accelerate the rate of nerve regeneration following injury. They are associated with severe side effects such as high blood pressure, kidney
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