Triptolide improves nerve regeneration and functional recovery following crush injury to rat sciatic nerve

• Triptolide improves nerve regeneration after nerve crush injuries.
• Triptolide promotes motor functional recovery after nerve crush injuries.
• Triptolide may exert neuroprotective effects via its anti-inflammatory properties.

Recently, accumulating data have demonstrated that triptolide exhibits neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties. However, the role of triptolide in repair and regeneration of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) has rarely been performed. The current study was designed to observe the possible beneficial effect of triptolide on promoting peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. Rats with sciatic nerve crush injury were administered daily with triptolide for 7 days. Axonal regeneration was evaluated by morphometric analysis and Fluoro-gold retrograde tracing. Motor functional recovery was evaluated by walking track analysis, electrophysiological assessment and histological appearance of target muscles. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines within injured nerves were also determined. The results demonstrated that triptolide was capable of promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. Additionally, triptolide significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines within injured nerves. These findings indicate the possibility of developing triptolide as a therapeutic agent for PNI. The neuroprotective effects of triptolide might be associated with its anti-inflammatory properties.