Abstract:Objective To investigate the potential effects of salidroside combined with epimysium conduit and Schwann cells on nerve regeneration after delayed repair of sciatic nerve injury in rats.Methods Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into the epimysium conduit (EPM) group, the epimysium conduit + RSC96 Schwann cell (EPM + RSC96) group, the 0.2 mmol/L salidroside (L-ros) group, and the 0.4 mmol/L Salidroside (H-ros) group, and a delayed repair model of sciatic nerve injury in rats was established. The EPM group used only the epimysium conduit to bridge the nerve defects, the RSC96 cells and the BD matrix gel were injected into the epimysium conduit in the EPM+RSC96 group, and a mixture of 0.2 mmol/L or 0.4 mmol/L salidroside with RSC96 cells and BD matrix gel was injected into the epimysium conduit in the L-ros and the H-ros groups, respectively. The morphology of the regenerated nerves was assessed by transmission electron microscopy at 12 weeks after surgery. Recovery of motor function was evaluated by sciatic nerve function index (SFI), wet muscle weight (WMW) of the bilateral gastrocnemius muscles, and Masson staining at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery.Results The diameter of regenerated axons and the thickness of regenerated myelin sheath in the EPM + RSC96 group, L-ros group, and H-ros group were all greater than those in the EPM group (P < 0.05), those in the L-ros group were greater than in the EPM + RSC96 group (P < 0.05), and those in the H-ros group were even greater than those in the L-ros group (P < 0.05). The SFI at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery in the EPM+RSC96 group was higher than that in the EPM group (P < 0.05), and that in the L-ros group was higher than that in the EPM + RSC96 group (P < 0.05). At 12 weeks postoperatively, the SFI in the H-ros group was higher than that in the L-ros group (P < 0.05). The recovery rates of WMW of gastrocnemius muscles at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery were higher in the L-ros group and the H-ros group than in the EPM group (P < 0.05), while those in the H-ros group were higher than those in the EPM + RSC96 group and the L-ros group (P < 0.05). The percentage of gastrocnemius muscle fibers in the L-ros and H-ros groups at 8 and 12 weeks after surgery was higher than that in the EPM and EPM + RSC96 groups (P < 0.05).Conclusions Salidroside combined with epimysium conduit and Schwann cells is effective for nerve function recovery after delayed repair of sciatic nerve injury in rat models.