Primary sensory neuronal rescue with systemic acetyl-l-carnitine following peripheral axotomy. A dose-response analysis  Andrew D.H Wilson, Andrew Hart, Thomas Brannstrom, Mikael Wiberg, Giorgio Terenghi  British Journal of Plastic Surgery  Volume 56, Issue 8, Pages 732-739 (December 2003) DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2003.08.005

Fig. 1 Dose-related effect of ALCAR on neuron loss 2 weeks post axotomy. N=5/group. Axotomised and contralateral control ganglia neuron counts are plotted as mean (and SD) count per experimental group. Y-axis begins at a mean neuronal cell count of 20,000. *P=<0.05, **P<0.001 axotomised vs. contralateral non-axotomised control within each group. For 50 mg/kg/day group P=0.596. For 10 mg/kg/day group P=0.559. British Journal of Plastic Surgery 2003 56, 732-739DOI: (10.1016/j.bjps.2003.08.005)

Fig. 2 Dose-related effect of ALCAR on neuron-containing DRG volume 2 weeks post axotomy. N=5/group. The volume loss in the axotomised ganglia is shown as the percentage of the mean volume in the contralateral control side. *P<0.05, **P<0.001 axotomised vs. non-axotomised contralateral control within each group. British Journal of Plastic Surgery 2003 56, 732-739DOI: (10.1016/j.bjps.2003.08.005)

Fig. 3 Electron photomicrographs of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. An intact, non-axotomised neuron is shown in panel A, whose normal morphological features include a well-defined rough endoplasmic reticulum (short black arrow), and healthy mitochondria, with intact cristae. Representative photomicrographs of axotomised neurons are also shown two week after sciatic nerve transection, during which time daily treatment with saline (B) and or ALCAR 1 mg/kg/day (C) or 50 mg/kg/day (D) ALCAR was administrated. Saline treated neurons exhibit increased electron density in cytoplasm (white transparent arrow), disrupted mitochondrial architecture (white opaque arrow) and partial disappearance of rough endoplasmatic reticulum. ALCAR causes a dose-dependent improvement in the cells' ultrastructure with progressive improvements in rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial morphology. Some mitochondria remain swollen (white dotted arrow) in both ALCAR treated groups, while unlike 50 mg/kg/day, a dose of 1 mg/kg/day treatment fails to preserve cristal architecture in the majority of mitochondria (long black arrow). Scale bar equals 1 μm. British Journal of Plastic Surgery 2003 56, 732-739DOI: (10.1016/j.bjps.2003.08.005)