[Experimental study of GBE50 on facial nerve after being crushed in rabbits].

PURPOSE: To compare the regeneration and repair effects of GBE50 and mecobalamin on facial nerve crush injury.

METHODS

Forty healthy Japan giant ear rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups,namely GBE50 treatment group, mecobalamin treatment group, normal control group and model control group. Each group contained 10 rabbits. Superior buccal branch of facial nerve cursh injured models were established for 2 treatment groups and model control group, while facial incision was made without crush injuries of facial nerve for normal control group. The treatment group was given GBE50 and mecobalamin respectively, while the control group was only given 1 mL of normal saline, respectively. After 28 days of treatment, rabbits' facial injured beard and orbicularis oris muscle movements were observed, neuroelectrophysiological tests, histomorphological observation, and image analysis were performed, facial nerve regeneration and functional recovery were detected. The data were analyzed by SPSS 22.0 software package.

RESULTS

In the model control group, the beard and orbicularis oris muscle movement recovery of rabbits were the worst, but GBE50 treatment group showed better recovery than mecobalamin treatment group. The action potential latency in GBE50 group was lower than the mecobalamin group, and significantly lower than the control group(P＜0.05). The action potential amplitude of GBE50 group was higher than that of mecobalamin group, and significantly higher than the control group(P＜0.05). Image analysis result of never myelinated axons area and axon counts of GBE50 group was higher than that of mecobalamin group, and significantly higher than control group (P＜0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

GBE50 is superior to mecobalamin in efficacy and speed of facial nerve repair, and it is expected to become another therapeutic drug for rapid and effective treatment of facial nerve injury in clinical practice.