Abstract
Introduction The aim of this study was to determine if the combined use of curcumin and platelet-rich
plasma (PRP) improves the axonal regeneration process in acutely repaired nerve injuries.
Materials and Methods The right sciatic nerves of 32 Holtzman albino rats were transected and immediately
repaired. Four treatments were randomly allocated: (1) nerve repair only; (2) nerve
repair + local PRP; (3) nerve repair + intraperitoneal curcumin; and (4) nerve repair
+ local PRP + intraperitoneal curcumin. Clinical (estimation of sciatic functional
index) and electrophysiological outcomes were assessed 4 and 12 weeks after surgery,
and histologic evaluations performed 12 weeks after surgery.
Results Group IV (PRP + curcumin) resulted in significantly better outcomes across all the
evaluation parameters, compared with the other three groups (p < 0.05). Additionally, when used as single adjuvants, both the curcumin (group III)
and PRP (group II) groups showed significant improvement over the control group (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between PRP and curcumin when used
as sole adjuvants.
Conclusion The combined administration of curcumin + PRP as adjuvants to nerve repair could
enhance axonal regeneration in terms of clinical, electrophysiological, and histological
parameters in a rat model of acute sciatic nerve injury.
Keywords
peripheral nerve - nerve injury - axonal regeneration - curcumin - platelet-rich plasma
