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. 2009 Nov 25:4:22.
doi: 10.1186/1749-7221-4-22.

Intraperitoneal Alpha-Lipoic Acid to prevent neural damage after crush injury to the rat sciatic nerve

Mehmet Senoglu  1 , Vedat Nacitarhan, Ergul Belge Kurutas, Nimet Senoglu, Idris Altun, Yalcin Atli, Davut Ozbag
Affiliations

Intraperitoneal Alpha-Lipoic Acid to prevent neural damage after crush injury to the rat sciatic nerve

Mehmet Senoglu et al. J Brachial Plex Peripher Nerve Inj. .

Abstract

Objective: Crush injury to the sciatic nerve causes oxidative stress. Alfa Lipoic acid (a-LA) is a neuroprotective metabolic antioxidant. This study was designed to investigate the antioxidant effects of pretreatment with a-LA on the crush injury of rat sciatic nerve.

Methods: Forty rats were randomized into four groups. Group I and Group II received saline (2 ml, intraperitoneally) and a-LA (100 mg/kg, 2 ml, intraperitoneally) in the groups III and IV at the 24 and 1 hour prior to the crush injury. In groups II, III and IV, the left sciatic nerve was exposed and compressed for 60 seconds with a jeweler's forceps. In Group I (n = 10), the sciatic nerve was explored but not crushed. In all groups of rats, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in samples of sciatic nerve tissue.

Results: Compared to Group I, Group II had significantly decreased tissue SOD and CAT activities and elevated MDA levels indicating crush injury (p < 0.05). In the a-LA treatment groups (groups III and IV), tissue CAT and SOD activities were significantly increased and MDA levels significantly decreased at the first hour (p < 0.05) and on the 3rd day (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between a-LA treatment groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: A-LA administered before crush injury of the sciatic nerve showed significant protective effects against crush injury by decreasing the oxidative stress. A-LA should be considered in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries, but further studies are needed to explain the mechanism of its neuroprotective effects.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sciatic nerve MDA (nmol/mg protein) levels in all groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sciatic nerve CAT (U/mg protein) levels in all groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sciatic nerve SOD (U/mg protein) levels in all groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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