Citicoline improves functional recovery, promotes nerve regeneration, and reduces postoperative scarring after peripheral nerve surgery in rats

Abstract

Results: In the control versus citicoline-treated rats, SFI was -90 +/- 1 versus -84 +/- 1 ( P < .001), -76 +/- 4 versus -61 +/- 3 (P < .001), and -66 +/- 2 versus -46 +/- 3 (P < .001) at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery, respectively. At 12 weeks after surgery, axon count and diameter were 16400 +/- 600 number/mm(2) and 5.47 +/- 0.25 mu m versus 22250 +/- 660 number/mm(2) (p < .001) and 6.65 +/- 0.28 mu m (P < .01) in the control and citicoline-treated groups, respectively. In citicoline-treated rats, histomorphological axonal organization score at the repair site was (3.4 +/- 0.1) significantly better than that in controls (2.6 +/- 0.3) (P < .001). Peripheral nerve regeneration evaluated by EMG at 12 weeks after surgery showed significantly better results in the citicoline group (P < .05). Nerves treated with citicoline demonstrated reduced scarring at the repair site (P < .001). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that citicoline promotes regeneration of peripheral nerves subjected to immediate section suturing type surgery and reduces postoperative scarring.