The effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on facial nerve regeneration

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of honey bee propolis, has been demonstrated in animal models and studies to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and cytoprotective properties.

We investigated the efficacy of CAPE, which we believe may be therapeutically useful in facial nerve restoration due to its neuroprotective and antioxidant properties.

20 Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into 4 primary and 2 secondary groups and assigned as control, methylprednisolone, CAPE, CAPE+methylprednisolone groups and the sham and the trauma groups. Except for the sham group, all groups had the left facial nerve crushed. Three weeks after surgery, prospective functional, electrophysiologic, and histologic recovery was assessed.

The CAPE and CAPE+methylprednisolone group had similar and more significant recovery at Nerve Excitability Thresholds and achieved a significantly faster improvement in histopathological evaluation at the end of three weeks.

The combination of CAPE and methylprednisolone was found to be efficient in nerve regeneration in an experimental rat facial nerve crush model. Given the strong systemic adverse effects of methylprednisolone, the combination of CAPE may be a good alternative for lowering the dose of methylprednisolone and thereby reducing its negative effects.