Effects of argan oil use on nerve healing in experimental sciatic nerve damage in rats

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of argan oil, which has known anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects on nerve healing after peripheral nerve trauma. Material and Method: In the experimental study, groups of 8 sprague dawley female rats were randomly formed in each group. Our anesthetic method is intraperitoneal general anesthesia with 100 mg/kg ketamine and 5 mg/kg xylazine. The sciatic nerve was closed to the rats in the control group without causing any damage. For rats in the argan and trauma group, aneurysm clips were placed for five minutes after reaching the sciatic nerve. After five minutes, the aneurysm clip was removed and the incision was closed. No substance was used for the rats in the control and trauma groups. The rats in the argan group were given argan oil daily for 4 weeks by oral gavage of 5 ml/kg. Walk analysis was performed on the rats on the 15th and 30th days in all groups. After electrophysiological examination, rats were sacrificed on the 30th day in all groups. Sciatic nerves of rats in all groups were excised for pathological examination. Result: The sciatic function index calculated as a result of the walk analysis performed on the 15th and 30th days of all subjects was statistically evaluated. The sciatic function index of the rats in the argan group was found to support nerve healing statistically. Histapathological grade and axon count were analyzed statistically, and the results of the rats in the argan group were found to support statistically significant recovery. As a result of the statistical evaluation of the motor nerve conduction velocity obtained as a result of the electrophysiological test of the argan group and the trauma group, the results of the rats in the argan group were found to be significantly higher. Conclusion: It has been shown by functional, histological and electrophysiological examinations that daily oral administration of 5 ml/kg argan oil in experimental peripheral nerve damage benefits the recovery of rat sciatic nerve. However, more research is needed on this subject.