Carnosine improves functional recovery and structural regeneration after sciatic nerve crush injury in rats

Publication date: Available online 1 November 2018Source: Life SciencesAuthor(s): Navideh Mirzakhani, Amir Abbas Farshid, Esmaeal Tamaddonfard, Mehdi Imani, Amir Erfanparast, Farahnaz NorooziniaAbstractAimsPeripheral nerve injury represents a substantial clinical problem with insufficient or unsatisfactory treatment options. Current researches have extensively focused on the new approaches for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. Carnosine is a naturally occurring pleotropic dipeptide and has many biological functions such as antioxidant property. In the present study, we examined the regenerative ability of carnosine after sciatic nerve crush injury using behavioral, biochemical, histological and ultrastructural evaluations.Materials and methodsSeventy-two rats were divided into six groups including control, sham, crush and carnosine (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) groups. Crush injury in left sciatic nerve was induced by a small haemostatic forceps. Carnosine was administered for 15 consecutive days after induction of crush injury. Sciatic functional index (SFI) was recorded weekly. Histopathological and ultrastructural evaluations were made using light and electron microscopes, respectively. Sciatic nerve tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured. Gastrocnemius muscle weight was determined.Key findingsCarnosine at the doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg accelerated SFI recovery. Wallerian degeneration sever...
Source: Life Sciences - Category: Biology Source Type: research