Oral administration of nimodipine accelerates functional recovery following peripheral nerve damage in the rat.

Oral administration of the Ca2+-entry blocker nimodipine accelerates in a dose-dependent manner the recovery of sensorimotor function following a crush lesion of the rat sciatic nerve. The beneficial effect of nimodipine was apparent in both a foot shock withdrawal test and in a test analyzing the walking pattern of the rat. These data are the first demonstration of nimodipine-induced enhanced recovery following peripheral nerve damage.