The effects of lipoic acid and methylprednisolone on nerve healing in rats with facial paralysis^*

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of lipoic acid and methylprednisolone on nerve healing in rats with traumatic facial paralysis.

Materials and methods: The rats were randomly divided into four groups, with six rats in the control group and eight each in the remaining three groups. The buccal branch of the facial nerve in all groups except the control group was traumatized by a vascular clamp for 40 minutes. Group 1 was given lipoic acid (LA), Group 2 was given methylprednisolone (MP), and Group 3 was given lipoic acid and methylprednisolone (LA + MP) for one week. Nerve stimulus thresholds were measured before trauma, after trauma and at the end of the one week treatment period.

Results: When the groups were compared with each other, post-treatment threshold levels of LA + MP were significantly lower than LA. Although post-treatment threshold levels of LA and MP were still higher than the control group, there was no significant difference between LA + MP and control values (p > .05).

Conclusion: Lipoic acid has a positive effect on nerve healing and can enhance the effect of methylprednisolone treatment. It is a good alternative in cases where methylprednisolone cannot be used.

Chinese abstract

目的：探讨硫辛酸和甲基强的松龙对患创伤性面瘫大鼠的神经修复的作用。

材料与方法：将大鼠随机分为4组, 对照组6只, 其余3组各8只。除对照组外, 其余各组面神经颊支均用血管钳夹制创40分钟。第1组给予硫辛酸（LA）, 第2组给予甲基强的松龙（MP）, 第3组给予硫辛酸和甲基强的松龙（LA + MP）, 均为时一周。在创伤之前、创伤之后和一周治疗期结束时测量神经刺激阈值。

结果：各组间比较, LA + MP后处理阈值明显低于LA。尽管LA和MP治疗后阈值水平仍然高于对照组, 但LA + MP与对照值之间并无显著性差异（p > 0.05）。

结论：硫辛酸对神经修复具有积极作用, 可加强甲基强的松龙的治疗效果。在不能使用甲基强的松龙的情况下, 它不失为一个很好的选择。

Keywords:

• Facial paralysis
• lipoic acid
• trauma
• methylprednisolone

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted at Marmara University School of Medicine Experimental Animal Laboratory, Istanbul, Turkey.

Disclosure statement

None of the authors have a conflict of interest to declare.