Nerve regeneration after surgical reconstruction is far from optimal, and thus effective strategies for improving the outcome of nerve repair are being sought. In this experiment, we verified if postoperative intraperitoneal melatonin (MLT) administration after intraoperative platelet gel application improves peripheral nerve regeneration. In adult male rats, 1-cm long sciatic nerve defects were repaired using four different strategies: autologous nerve graft repair followed by MLT (NM, n = 5), collagen conduit repair followed by MLT (CM, n = 5), platelet gel-enriched collagen conduit repair followed by MLT (CGM, n = 6), and platelet gel-enriched collagen conduit (CG, n = 5) repair followed by no substance administration. Sham operated animals were used as controls (Cont, n = 5). Ninety days after surgery, the nerve regeneration outcome was comparatively assessed by means of electrophysiological and stereological analysis. Electrophysiology revealed no significant differences between the experimental and the sham control groups. Stereological analysis showed no significant differences among the experimental groups regarding axon size and myelin thickness, but the axon number was significantly lower in the CM compared to Cont and NM group. Moreover, there was no significant difference between number of axons in CG and Cont groups, between CGM and CM, and between CM and NM. Although it was observed that platelet gel have a positive effect on nerve regeneration, but a combination of local platelet gel with MLT does not have the same effect on nerve repair.

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Diclofenac sodium (DS) is used primarily to treat fever and to alleviate pain and inflammation. We investigated the effects of DS exposure during gestation on the testes of rat pups to investigate the safety of its use during the prenatal period. Pregnant rats were separated into control, saline, low dose, medium dose and high dose groups. DS was given between weeks 15 and 21 of gestation. Total numbers of spermatogonia and Sertoli cells were counted in the testes of 7-day-old male rats using the physical disector method. By the end of the study, the total number of Sertoli cells was decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner in the medium and high dose groups compared to controls. No significant differences were found in the total number of spermatogonia in the control, saline and low dose DS groups. Medium and high dose DS administration reduced the total number of spermatogonia compared to other groups. We suggest that prenatal administration of DS can cause deleterious effects on the testis development, especially in high doses.

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Structural alterations could be attributed to the toxic influence of HgO on rat ovary. The use of Hg should therefore be more controlled to minimize its toxic effect.

We suggested that DS might lead to adverse effects in the kidneys of the rats that are prenatally subjected to this drug. Fortunately, these adverse effects can be prevented by the melatonin supplementation.

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