title: Puerarin accelerates peripheral nerve regeneration.
abstract: This study investigates the effect of puerarin (PR) on peripheral nerve regeneration in vitro and in vivo. PR at concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 μM significantly promoted survival and outgrowth of cultured Schwann cells, as compared to the controls treated with culture medium only. in vivo study, peripheral nerve regeneration was evaluated across a 15-mm gap in the sciatic nerve of rats using a silicone rubber nerve chamber filled with PR solution. The control group chambers were filled with normal saline only. At the end of eight weeks, animals in the PR groups, especially at a concentration of 1 μM, had a significantly higher density of myelinated axons, greater evoked action potential area, and a larger nerve conductive velocity, as compared to the controls. All experimental results indicate that PR treatment promotes nerve growth and is a promising herbal medicine for recovery of regenerating peripheral nerves.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomaterials, School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hsiang
authors.forename: Han-Chung
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Fuu-Jen
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chin-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chun-Hsu
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yueh-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D029908:Pueraria / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007529:Isoflavones; C033607:puerarin