Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is one of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study we tried to investigate the preventive effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on taxol induced peripheral neuropathy. 30 adult male albino rats were used. They were classified into 3 groups (G) (n of each=10),. G1, normal control IP injected with normal saline (1mg/kg daily for 2 weeks), G2 model control group, IP injected with taxol (2mg/kg) on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. G3 was IP injected with rhNGF (10ug/kg daily for 2 weeks) one hour before taxol injection. the collected data were statistically analyzed. In this study taxol injection resulted in significant decrease in SNCV, MNCV and significant prolongation of thermal pain threshold. In addition, there were myelinopathy and axonapathy in the examined sections of sciatic nerve in taxol treated rats. The decrease in SNCV and MNCV was mildly prevented by NGF. The histopathological changes were not prominen in some fibers but others show neuropathy.