Wei Shaoyin, Yin Xiaofeng, Kou Yuhui, Jiang Baoguo
Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, 11th Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 May 4;123(1):51-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.02.030. Epub 2009 Mar 4.
Earthworms regenerate amputated parts of their body if the nervous system is intact. Lumbricus is one traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which has been used in China to promote nerve function for hundreds of years.
To investigate the beneficial effect of lumbricus extract on peripheral nerve regeneration in rats.
Nerve function was surgically impaired in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by clamping of the left sciatic nerve. The sham-operated group (surgery but no sciatic nerve clamping), control group, and treatment group were treated with 2 ml 0.9% NaCl, 0.9% NaCl, and lumbricus extract (1g/ml), respectively. Treatments were administered once daily after the operation for 6 weeks. During this period, motor function was monitored by walking track analysis, conduction function of injured sciatic nerve was monitored by electrophysiology, and regeneration of myelinated nerve was assessed by immunohistochemistry.
(1) For nerve function index value, treatment group is higher than control group. (2) For conduction velocity of injured sciatic nerve, treatment group is higher than control group at week 3 and 6. (3) For the number of regenerated myelinated nerve fibers, treatment group is higher than control group at week 2 and 6.
Lumbricus extract appears to enhance sciatic nerve regeneration and function recovery following injury, suggesting the clinical potential of lumbricus extract on the treatment of peripheral nerve injury in humans.
如果神经系统完好无损，蚯蚓能够再生其身体被切断的部分。地龙是一种传统中药，在中国已被用于促进神经功能数百年。
探讨地龙提取物对大鼠周围神经再生的有益作用。
通过夹闭Sprague-Dawley（SD）大鼠的左侧坐骨神经，手术损伤其神经功能。假手术组（进行手术但不夹闭坐骨神经）、对照组和治疗组分别给予2 ml 0.9%氯化钠、0.9%氯化钠和地龙提取物（1 g/ml）。术后每天给药1次，持续6周。在此期间，通过行走轨迹分析监测运动功能，通过电生理学监测受损坐骨神经的传导功能，并通过免疫组织化学评估有髓神经的再生情况。
（1）神经功能指数值，治疗组高于对照组。（2）受损坐骨神经的传导速度，治疗组在第3周和第6周高于对照组。（3）再生有髓神经纤维的数量，治疗组在第2周和第6周高于对照组。
地龙提取物似乎能促进坐骨神经损伤后的再生和功能恢复，提示地龙提取物在治疗人类周围神经损伤方面具有临床应用潜力。
