Effects of Dexamethasone on Regeneration Process after Sciatic Nerve Transect and Acellular Scaffold Graft in a Rat Animal Model

Peripheral nervous system has an innate regenerative ability, and in severe injuries leading to nerve destruction, repair does not occur spontaneously and medical intervention is required. In this regard, dexamethasone is one of useful drugs prescribed for neurological recovery after spinal cord injury. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of dexamethasone on functional recovery and histological changes following sciatic nerve transect and regeneration with the acellular scaffolds in male Wistar rats. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups of 10. The groups included: negative control group(left sciatic nerve was transecte), sham-operated group) surgical procedure without the nerve transect ), and experimental groups 1 and 2 (sciatic nerve was transected and regenerated with acellular nerve scaffold) treated with 1 and 2 mg/kg of dexamethasone, respectively. Experimental group 3 (sciatic nerve was transected and regenerated with acellular nerve scaffold) was injected with vehicle. Then, 1 cm of left sciatic nerve was exposed and replaced with a piece of scaffold. Behavioral, electrophysiological, and morphological alterations were evaluated during the experiment. Findings: with dexamethasone in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). Analysis of gastrocnemius muscle mass in groups treated with dexamethasone in comparison with negative control group showed that muscle atrophy was reduced; also the dexamethasone-treated group presented significantly greater nerve fiber, axon diameter, and myelin sheath thickness (P < 0.05). Discussion & Conclusions: The results showed that the administration of dexamethasone after sciatic nerve transects and grafting the acellular scaffold increased motor function in a rat animal model.