Effects of local administration of ibuprofen on sciatic nerve regeneration and reinnervation after egg shell membrane conduit repair in rat.

AIM: The objective was to assess the effect of locally administered ibuprofen (IBU) on transected peripheral nerve regeneration and functional recovery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy--five male Wistar rats were divided into five experimental groups (n = 15), randomly: In authograft group (AUTO) a segment of sciatic nerve was transected and reimplanted reversely. In transected group (TC), left sciatic nerve was transected and stumps were fixed in the adjacent muscle. In treatment group defect was bridged using an egg shell membrane conduit (ESM/IBU) filled with 10 μL ibuprofen (100 ng/mL). In ESM conduit group (ESM), the conduit was filled with phosphate--buffered saline alone. In sham--operated group (SHAM), sciatic nerve was exposed and manipulated. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups of five animals each and regenerated nerve fibers were studied 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery.

RESULTS: Behavioral testing, biomechanical studies, sciatic nerve functional study, electrophysiological, gastrocnemius muscle mass and morphometric indices confirmed faster recovery of regenerated axons in ESM/IBU than ESM group (p < 0.05). In immunohistochemistry, location of reactions to S--100 in ESM/IBU was clearly more positive than that in ESM group.

CONCLUSION: Ibuprofen accelerated and improved functional recovery and morphometric indices of sciatic nerve. This study is expected to set a stage for testing the ibuprofen in the human patients.