ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) on promoting functional recovery of crushed common peroneal nerve in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to produce common peroneal nerve injuries model,and the length of injury was 5 mm. All the rats were divided into 3 groups: BYHWD group, mecobalamin group and model group. The drugs were given by gavage daily for 18 days. Footprint test was performed at the 18th day after surgery to evaluate toe spread function (TSF). Electrophysiology was performed at the 18th day after operation to determine the nerve conduct velocity (NCV). The wet weight ratio and section area of tibial muscle were also measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(TSF:At the 18th day after operation, the TSF in BYHWD group (-0.15 +/- 0.07) increased significantly compared with that of model group (-0.25 +/- 0.07) (P < 0.01); the TSF in mecobalamin group (-0.17 +/- 0.08) also increased notably compared with that of model group (P < 0.01).(2) NCV: the NCV in BYHWD group [(18.36 +/- 2.74) m/s] (P < 0.01l) and in mecobalamin group [(16.32 +/- 3.54) m/s] (P < 0.05) also increased significantly compared with that of model group [(9.08 +/- 2.56) m/s]; there was striking variation between model group and mecobalamin group (P < 0.05). (3) Wet weight ratio: the wet weight ratio in BYHWD group [(64.21 +/- 2.92)%] (P < 0.01)and in mecobalamin group [(62.43 +/- 3.21)%] (P < 0.01) all increased significantly compared with that of model group [(54.27 +/- 2.05)%]. (4) The section area of tibial muscle: the section area of tibial muscle in BYHWD group [(654.21 +/- 42.92) cm2] (P < 0.01) and in mecobalamin group [(638.43 +/- 93.21) cm2] (P < 0.01) all increased significantly compared with that of model group [(574.27 +/- 52.05) cm2]; there was also striking variation between model group and mecobalamin group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BYHWD can promotes functional recovery of crushed nerve as a result of accelerating recovery of TSF, raising NCV and delaying the decrease of tibial muscle section area and wet weight ratio.</p>