An Experimental Study for Improving the Regeneration of the Injured Sciatic Nerve by Utilization of Acetyl Salicylic Acid.

Abstract

A total of thirty two adult rats (Sprague Dawely) of both sexes weighing 250-350g were used in this study. These were classified equally and randomly into two groups Group (A) and group (B). All the animals were exposed to induction of left sciatic nerve crush injury by using fine forceps after application of surgical procedures. Rats in group (A) were left to be surviving for 15, 30, 90 and 180 days post crush (four animals per each period) and considered as control animal. Group (B) were injected by Acetyl Salicylic acid (ASA) 25mg/kg as anti- inflammatory drug for successive 14 days and left for successive 14days post crush(PC) and left to be survive for 15, 30, 90 and 180 days pc ( Four animals per each period). Histological examination and statistical analysis of the nerve specimens for all survival periods of both groups indicated that application of ASA in case of group (B) gave longer internodes and diameter of the regenerated nerve fibers after 180 day pc when compared with that of control group at the same period, the mean internodal length of the nerve fibers of group (B) after 180 day was 396um, and its mean diameter was 8.4uM while the mean internodal length of the nerve fibers of group (A) after 180 day was 277um and its mean diameter was 7.2um. The result of the present study demonstrated that application of ASA for 14 day intramuscularly and continuously in group (B) improved the regeneration of the injured nerve fibers better than the untreated group and this may reflect the role of ASA to suppress the signs and complication of inflammatory process at the site of sciatic nerve injury, so enhance the re growth of new nerve fibers faster and better than the control group (A).