Proliferative Effects of Melatonin on Schwann Cells: Implication for Nerve Regeneration Following Peripheral Nerve Injury

摘要

Thirty young adult male Wister rats ranging from 200 to 300 grams were obtained and cared for following the guidelines presented in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (US NIH Publication No. 86-23). The rats were divided into five groups. Those in group I received no surgical intervention and served as non-operative controls. Each of the rats in the other four groups was anesthetized and a surgical microscope was used to guide a peripheral nerve injury using an end-to-side neurorrhaphy. The musculocu-taneous nerve was transected at the margin of the pectoralis major muscle. The cut end of the musculocutaneous nerve was then attached to the ulnar nerve. Those in group II received no intervention and served as operated controls. Those in group III were given intraperitoneal Ringer's solution, those in group IV were given 1 mg/kg of melatonin daily for 30 consecutive days, and those in group V were given 10 mg/kg melatonin daily for 30 days.