Topical application of retinol on neurotmesic sciatic nerves in rats improved the number and myelination of the regenerated nerve fibers

ABSTRACT

The left sciatic nerve of adult male rats were transected just distal to the bifurcation of the biceps nerve and then gently sutured with fine silk through the neuronal sheath. Equal volumes of retinol solution containing two different amounts of retinol [0.24 mg and 1.2 mg] were placed on the neurotmesic nerve and the 2nd dose placed similary 2 weeks later, The control group exposed to the same procedure but the carrier only was placed instead. Specimens of the damaged nerve were obtained 8 weeks post sectioning for evaluating the effects of retinol relative to the control. The number and degree of myelination of the regenerated nerve fibers, in addition to their diameter [D] and to lesser extent the length [L] of the internodal distance increased significantly [p < 0.001] in the high - dosed and then the low dosed groups relative to the control. On correlating the later parameters [D - L] the values of r were 0.36 and 0.33 respectively and being highly significant while correlation coefficient of the Control was poor [r=0.01]