This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of gangliosides and dexamethasone on nerve regeneration. Experimental neuropathy with complete conduction block was produced by mechanical compression of surgically exposed sciatic nerves of 80 rats. 80 rats were divided into four groups (control group, ganglosides group, dexamethasone group, dexamethasone-gangliosides group). The experimental groups were treated by gangliosidese 10 mg/kg/day, dexamethasone 10 mg/kg/day and gangliosides 10 mg/kg/day plus dexamethasone 10 mg/kg/day intramuscully for 8 weeks. The control group received no injection.

The latency and amplitude of compound action potential were measured at the sciatic nerve by electromygraphy machine (Excell, Cadwell, U.S.A.), and the number of myelinated axon were measured in nerve specimen by imaging analysis system (VIDAS 2.0 Kontron, W.Germany) before and weekly after compression injury.

In gangliosides group, the latency and amplitude of CMAP and number of myelinated axon were significantly recovered; in dexamethasone group, only latency of CMAP was significantly recovered compare to control group. It is concluded that gangliosids are effective in nerve regeneration but dexamethasone is not.