title: Is mycophenolate mofetil an alternative agent to corticosteroids in traumatic nerve paralysis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of an immunosuppressive agent, mycophenolate mofetil (MM), were investigated and compared with those of methylprednisolone (MP) and dexamethasone (DXM) on the traumatic nerve function.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a randomized controlled animal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This experimental study was performed on 84 male Wistar albino rats. The rats were assigned to 12 groups each consisting of 7 animals. The groups were formed according to application of normal-dose DXM (group 1A-B), high-dose MP (group 2A-B), normal-dose MP (group 3A-B), MM (group 4A-B), and MM with high-dose MP combination therapies (group VA-B). Right sciatic nerve dissection was performed, and compound muscle action potential thresholds were recorded. The nerve was traumatized with the compression of a Jeweller forceps for 20 seconds. Posttraumatic thresholds were also recorded. The compound muscle action potential thresholds were recorded in the first and fourth weeks for the assigned groups. Then, the nerve was transected and prepared for electron microscopic and histopathologic examinations. Nitric oxide and malondialdehyde assessments were performed on both tissue and blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only the MM and MP+MM groups had satisfactory electron microscopic findings and were about to reach the tissue characteristics of the control animals. Despite the electrophysiologic recovery, the DXM group was found to have poor electron microscopic scoring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mycophenolate mofetil has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of traumatic nerve paralysis. Although a complementary investigation is needed, this immunosuppressive agent may be an alternative to corticosteroids for the selected cases where steroid therapy is contraindicated.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of *Otorhinolaryngology, †Medicine Biophysics, ‡Histology, and §Pathology, ∥Faculty of Pharmacy, Departments of #Neurosurgery, and ¶Biochemistry, **Medical Science Institute, ††Faculty of Medicine, Departments of ‡‡Animal Laboratory, and §§Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Savaş
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korlu
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vayisoglu
authors.forename: Ulku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Comelekoglu
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.forename: Rabia Bozdogan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Arpaci
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yalin
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dagtekin
authors.forename: Lokman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ayaz
authors.forename: Ozlen Tubay
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Bagdatoğlu
authors.forename: Damla
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koca
authors.forename: Hasan Basri
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kirbas
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tasdelen
authors.forename: Derya Umit
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Talas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004576:Electromyography / Q000187:drug effects; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D008775:Methylprednisolone