The Influence of Galantamine on Rat Sciatic Nerve Injury: A Histopathological Study

Introduction:Several biochemical and histopathological changes after peripheral nerve injury and early inflammatory changes precede healing process. So far, agents like NSAIDs, steroids and other agents were used to prevent inflammation. Galantamin is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used in Alzheimer’s disease with proven antioxidant effect. Gluatamate excitotoxicity which is an important mechanism of neural injury may be reversed with galantamin.

Material and Method :40-albino rats were randomly divided into control, sham, peripheral nerve injury-SF and peripheral nerve injury-galantamine group. Galantamine was used daily in fourth group through nasogastric tube for 7 days. Serum physiologic(SF) which is a solvent of galantamine was given to the third group with equivalent volume. Nerve injury and surgery was not performed in first group. Compressive injury to the sciatic nerve was performed in the second group and designated as sham group. Nerve thickness and number of apoptotic cells were counted in all groups..

Results :In rats subjected to SF, nerves were found thicker with marked degeneration. This may be explained with dilution of mechanical irritants. Similarly, degeneration was dominant finding in galantamine group and diameter of sciatic nerves distal to the area of injury. Morphologically they are identical to controls and myelin layer around the axon and Schwann cell nuclei were normal. This may be a clue of neuroprotective effect of galantamine in the early phase of neural injury. Number of apoptotic cells was almost similar in SF and sham groups however there is a marked statistical difference in number between SF-Galantamine and Sham-Galantamine groups. At the area of injury the apoptotic cells were at highest in number which shows a series of events regarding degeneration and regeneration.

Conclusions :Galantamine is shown to be beneficial neural healing process in terms of peripheral nerve thickness and number of apoptotic cells. It is a promising drug in neural injury similar to Alzheimer’s disease.