Figure 7
(a) Schematic image of a rat optic nerve (b) Nerve conduction velocity: graph indicates variations in conduction of nerve impulses across the control as well as 25, 50 and 100 µg/ml capsaicin treated rat optic nerves. Each vertical bar shows the mean ± standard deviation (n = 4). Statistically significant differences were observed in capsaicin treated groups when compared with the control groups (***P < 0.001, *P < 0.05). (c) SEM imaging of control optic nerve: (i) longitudinal cross section of a normal optic nerve (x270 magnification) (ii) the same at a higher magnification (x1000) (iii) the control optic nerve head surface richly supplied with a dense network of blood vessels (x5000). (d) SEM imaging of 50 µg/ml capsaicin treated optic nerve: (i) Cytoplasmic extensions of optic nerve surface smooth morphological organization (x1000) (ii) possible disruption of spherically arranged neurofilaments of collagen fibers observed at the level of the optic nerve (x2000) (iii) meninges/cushion like structures which are the blood vessels surrounding the nerve (x1000).
