Background: Paclitaxel is a neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agent. The sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy is a serious dose limiting complication of paclitaxel therapy. Propolis is a natural honeybee product collected from plants. It has broad biological and pharmacological activities and a proposed neuroprotective role.
Aim: To assess the possible protective role of propolis on paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in rat's sciatic nerve.
Material and Methods: Twenty-four adult male albino rats were divided into four equal groups; control group, propolis-treated group (50 mg/kg orally once daily), paclitaxel -treated group (16 mg/kg intraperitoneally once a week), and both paclitaxel & propolis-treated group. Animals were treated for 5 consecutive weeks. Specimens of sciatic nerve were processed for histological study by light and electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical study was carried out using CD68 antibody. Morphometric study and statistical analysis of light microscopic data were performed for all groups.
Results: Compared to the control group, the sciatic nerve specimens of the paclitaxel-treated rats showed splitting of myelin lamellae with infolded myelin loops, together with invagination and evagination of the myelin sheath. Changes in the axons included formation of myelin figures, compression and irregularity. Schwann cells showed cytoplasmic vacuolation and dilated rER. Immunohistochemical study revealed a significant increase in the number of CD68 positive cells. On the other hand, minimal changes were observed in rats treated concomitantly with both paclitaxel and propolis, with a non-significant increase in CD68 positive cells.
Conclusion: Paclitaxel induced structural changes in the myelinated fibers of sciatic nerve of albino rats. The concomitant treatment with propolis ameliorated these changes.