Atorvastatin is beneficial for muscle reinnervation after complete sciatic nerve section in rats

Review of Drug Therapy for Peripheral Facial Nerve Regeneration That Can Be Used in Actual Clinical Practice

Although facial nerve palsy is not a life-threatening disease, facial asymmetry affects interpersonal relationships, causes psychological stress, and devastates human life. The treatment and rehabilitation of facial paralysis has many socio-economic costs. Therefore, in cases of facial paralysis, it is necessary to identify the cause and provide the best treatment. However, until now, complete recovery has been difficult regardless of the treatment used in cases of complete paralysis of unknown cause and cutting injury of the facial nerve due to disease or accident. Therefore, this article aims to contribute to the future treatment of facial paralysis by reviewing studies on drugs that aid in nerve regeneration after peripheral nerve damage.

Recent Findings on the Effects of Pharmacological Agents on the Nerve Regeneration after Peripheral Nerve Injury

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are accompanied with neuropathic pain and functional disability. Despite improvements in surgical repair techniques in recent years, the functional recovery is yet unsatisfied. Indeed a successful nerve repair depends not only on the surgical strategy but also on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in traumatic nerve injury. In contrast to all strategies suggested for nerve repair, pharmacotherapy is a cheap, accessible and non-invasive treatment that can be used immediately after nerve injury. This study aimed to review the effects of some pharmacological agents on the nerve regeneration after traumatic PNI evaluated by functional, histological and electrophysiological assessments. In addition, some cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for their therapeutic actions, restricted to neural tissue, are suggested. These findings can not only help to find better strategies for peripheral nerve repair, but also to identify the neuropathic effects of various medications and their mechanisms of action.

Multiple uses of fibrin sealant for nervous system treatment following injury and disease

Lesions to the nervous system often produce hemorrhage and tissue loss that are difficult, if not impossible, to repair. Therefore, scar formation, inflammation and cavitation take place, expanding the lesion epicenter. This significantly worsens the patient conditions and impairment, increasing neuronal loss and glial reaction, which in turn further decreases the chances of a positive outcome. The possibility of using hemostatic substances that also function as a scaffold, such as the fibrin sealant, reduces surgical time and improve postoperative recovery. To date, several studies have demonstrated that human blood derived fibrin sealant produces positive effects in different interventions, becoming an efficient alternative to suturing. To provide an alternative to homologous fibrin sealants, the Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP, Brazil) has proposed a new bioproduct composed of certified animal components, including a thrombin-like enzyme obtained from snake venom and bubaline fibrinogen. Thus, the present review brings up to date literature assessment on the use of fibrin sealant for nervous system repair and positions the new heterologous bioproduct from CEVAP as an alternative to the commercial counterparts. In this way, clinical and pre-clinical data are discussed in different topics, ranging from central nervous system to peripheral nervous system applications, specifying positive results as well as future enhancements that are necessary for improving the use of fibrin sealant therapy.