title: Alpha-lipoic acid loaded in chitosan conduit enhances sciatic nerve regeneration in rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of topical administration of alpha-lipoic acid into chitosan conduit on peripheral nerve regeneration using a rat sciatic nerve transection model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty five Wistar rats were divided into three experimental groups randomly. A 10-mm gap of sciatic nerve was bridged with a chitosan conduit following surgical preparation and anesthesia. In treatment group, the conduit was filled with 30 µl alpha-lipoic acid (10 mg/kg/bw).It was filled with 30 µl phosphate buffered saline solution in control group. In Sham group sciatic nerve was just exposed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recovery of nerve function was faster in treatment group than in control, at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery (P-value<0.05). Conduction velocity was better in treatment group than in control group at 4 and 12 weeks (P-value<0.05). Recovery index was higher in treatment group than the control group, 8 weeks after surgery (P-value <0.05). Greater nerve fiber diameter, axon diameter, and myelin sheath thickness were observed in treatment group compared to control group at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery (P-value<0.05). The immunoreactivity of regenerated axons and myelin sheath in treatment group were far more similar to sham group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alpha-lipoic acid when loaded in a chitosan conduit could improve transected sciatic nerve regeneration in rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heshmatian
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azimzadeh
keywords: Alpha-lipoic acid; Chitosan conduit; Rat; Sciatic nerve regeneration