title: Triptolide improves nerve regeneration and functional recovery following crush injury to rat sciatic nerve.
abstract: Recently, accumulating data have demonstrated that triptolide exhibits neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties. However, the role of triptolide in repair and regeneration of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) has rarely been performed. The current study was designed to observe the possible beneficial effect of triptolide on promoting peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. Rats with sciatic nerve crush injury were administered daily with triptolide for 7 days. Axonal regeneration was evaluated by morphometric analysis and Fluoro-gold retrograde tracing. Motor functional recovery was evaluated by walking track analysis, electrophysiological assessment and histological appearance of target muscles. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines within injured nerves were also determined. The results demonstrated that triptolide was capable of promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. Additionally, triptolide significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines within injured nerves. These findings indicate the possibility of developing triptolide as a therapeutic agent for PNI. The neuroprotective effects of triptolide might be associated with its anti-inflammatory properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou 350025, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Guang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou 350025, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Song
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou 350025, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Kun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou 350025, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou 350025, China. Electronic address: orthospine@163.com.
authors.forename: Jian-Mei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou 350025, China. Electronic address: xuhao_fgh@163.com.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D009409:Nerve Crush; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C001899:triptolide
keywords: Nerve regeneration; Peripheral nerve injury; Pro-inflammatory cytokines; Triptolide