Hydroalcoholic extract of red propolis promotes functional recovery and axon repair after sciatic nerve injury in rats.
BACKGROUND
Peripheral axon injury and degeneration are often mediated by oxidative stress and inflammation. The hydroalcoholic extract of the red propolis (HERP) has attracted great attention because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this work is to study the effect of HERP on nerve repair and functional recovery after sciatic nerve injury (SNI) in rats.


METHODS
The chemical markers in HERP were identified using high-resolution mass spectroscopy. After axonotmesis of sciatic nerve, ibuprofen (IBP) and HERP treatments were orally administered for 28 d. Behavioural tests were performed weekly after SNI. The myelinated axon number was counted using morphometric analysis.


RESULTS
The compounds found in HERP were pinocembrin, formononetin, vestitol, and biochanin A. The animals that underwent SNI showed a significant decrease in motor function based on the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scale and sciatic functional index compared with sham animals until 7 d after the surgery (p < 0.05). After 14 and 21 d, the SNI groups treated with either HERP or IBP showed significant improvement (p < 0.01), and the SNI group treated with HERP 10 mg/kg showed accelerated motor recovery compared with the other groups (p < 0.01). SNI caused also a reduction in the myelinated axon counts, and treatment with HERP 10 mg/kg induced a significant increase in the number of myelinated fibres compared with all other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
HERP promoted regenerative responses and accelerated functional recovery after sciatic nerve crush. Thus, it can be considered to be a new strategy or complementary therapy for treating nerve injuries.
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.
Roberta Almeida
RA
Barbosa
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.
Tássia Luiza Gonçalves Magalhães
TL
Nunes
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.
Tâmara Luiza Gonçalves Magalhães
TL
Nunes
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.
Ailma Oliveira
AO
da Paixão
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.
Reinaldo
R
Belo Neto
b Department of Technology, University of Caxias Do Sul , Caxias Do Sul , Brazil.
Sidnei
S
Moura
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.|c Department of Biomaterials, Morphology and Experimental Pathology, Research and Technology Institute (ITP) , Aracaju , Brazil.
Ricardo Luiz Cavalcanti
RL
Albuquerque Junior
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.|c Department of Biomaterials, Morphology and Experimental Pathology, Research and Technology Institute (ITP) , Aracaju , Brazil.
Edna Aragão Farias
EA
Cândido
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.|c Department of Biomaterials, Morphology and Experimental Pathology, Research and Technology Institute (ITP) , Aracaju , Brazil.
Francine Ferreira
FF
Padilha
d Department of Physiology , Federal University of Sergipe , São Cristóvão , Brazil.
Lucindo José
LJ
Quintans-Júnior
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.|c Department of Biomaterials, Morphology and Experimental Pathology, Research and Technology Institute (ITP) , Aracaju , Brazil.
Margarete Zanardo
MZ
Gomes
a Department of Healthy and Environment, Tiradentes University , Aracaju , Brazil.|c Department of Biomaterials, Morphology and Experimental Pathology, Research and Technology Institute (ITP) , Aracaju , Brazil.
Juliana Cordeiro
JC
Cardoso
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004339:Drug Compounding; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011429:Propolis / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000188:drug therapy*
D045424:Complex Mixtures; D000431:Ethanol; D011429:Propolis
Axonotmesis; crush; high-resolution mass spectroscopy; isoflavones; nerve regeneration; sciatic functional index