Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Crocetin (CRT) is one of the active chemical compounds of saffron and has many biological effects such as antioxidant property. The present study investigated the effects of CRT on crushed sciatic nerve function. Vitamin (Vit) C was used as an antioxidant drug. Thirty rats were divided into six groups including intact, sham, crush, CRT 7.50, CRT 30.00 and Vit C 100. Nine other rats with no surgery were scheduled in three groups to receive 7.50 and 30.00 mg kg^-1 CRT and 100 mg kg^-1 Vit C. In anesthetized rats, right sciatic nerve was crushed using a small hemostatic forceps. Sciatic functional index values on days five, 10, 15 and 20 after crush were accelerated, the severities of sciatic nerve degeneration and gastrocnemius muscle atrophy were ameliorated, and the increased malondialdehyde level and the decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the serum were restored by 20 consecutive days of oral administration of 30.00 mg kg^-1 CRT and 100 mg kg^-1 Vit C. No significant differences were observed between 30.00 mg kg^-1 and 100 mg kg^-1 Vit C. The groups that did not have surgery but received CRT (7.50 and 30.00 mg kg-1) and Vit C (100 mg kg-1) showed no behavioral, histopathological and biochemical alterations when compared to intact group. It was concluded that CRT and Vit C produced similar improving effects on crushed-injured sciatic nerve function. Inhibition of oxidative stress, enhancement of endogenous antioxidant activity might be involved in improving effects of CRT and Vit C.

Abstract Histomorphometry and use of the fast free of acrylamide clearing tissue (FACT) protocol were studied on the sciatic nerve in chicken (Gallus domesticus). In the first part of the study, the sciatic nerves of 20 chickens of four age groups (7, 14, 26 and 40 days) were studied (n=5 birds per age class). Their sciatic nerve samples were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and Masson's trichrome and were histomorphometrically evaluated. In the second part of the study, FACT protocol was applied on the sciatic nerve of a 26 days old chicken. After clearing of 1.00 mm-thick sciatic nerve sections, they were immunolabelled using Hoechst for nuclei staining and recorded by a Z-stack motorized fluorescent microscope. In the conventional histo-morphometry, the epineurium, perineurium and endoneurium were thicker and the nerve bundle diameter was bigger in the left sciatic nerve of chicken of all age groups compared to the right sciatic nerve. On the contrary, the axon diameter and the myelinated nerve fiber diameter were bigger, the myelin sheath was thicker, the nodes of Ranvier intervals were higher and the density of myelinated nerve fibers was also higher in the right sciatic nerve compared to the left one. In conclusion, histomorphometric parameters in the left and right sciatic nerve during chicken growth were significantly different. Furthermore, the FACT protocol could be used for the 3D imaging of the chicken sciatic nerve and its immunostained evaluation.