Chemical dorsal root ganglionectomy by intra-sciatic nerve injection of adriamycin in rabbits

Objective To investigate the effects of chemical dorsal root ganglionectomy by injection of adriamycin into sciatic nerve.Methods Forty-eight adult rabbits weighing 2.0-2.5 kg were used in this study. 1% adriamycin 0.2 ml was injected into the right sciatic nerve while 0.9% saline 0.2 ml was injected into the left sciatic nerve under general anesthesia.Fluorescence microscope was used to detect adriamycin at 4 and 24 h after injection.Light and electron microscope were used to examine the neurons in the anterior horn of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion (DRG).Furthermore the sensory and motor function of the hind limbs were evaluated before and 1-8 weeks after injection.Results Fluorescence microscopic study revealed well-distributed fluorescence dye stained adriamycin in right DRG at 24 h after injection.Light microscopic examination revealed degeneration, necrosis and disappearance of cells and hyperplasia of gliacytes in right DRG at 1-8 weeks after injection.Electron microscopic study showed lysis of mitochondria,ribosome and endoplasmic reticulum and the accumulation of myelin and lysosomes in right DRG cells 2 weeks after injection.Threshold to noxious thermal stimuli of the right hindlimb at 1-2 weeks after injection was significantly lower than the baseline before injection and became higher than the baseline at 3-8 weeks after injection (P＜0.05).Conclusion 1% adriamycin 0.2 ml injected into sciatic nerve can produce chemical dorsal root ganglionectomy.