Grants Funded
ASPS/PSF leadership is committed to continuing to provide high levels of investigator-initiated research support to ensure that plastic surgeons have the needed research resources to be pioneers and innovators in advancing the practice of medicine.
Research Abstracts
Search The PSF database to have easy access to full-text grant abstracts from past PSF-funded research projects 2003 to present. All abstracts are the work of the Principal Investigators and were retrieved from their PSF grant applications. Several different filters may be applied to locate abstracts specific to a particular focus area or PSF funding mechanism.
The Effect of Beta-Caryophyllene on Peripheral Nerve Axonal Elongation
Principal Investigator
Erin Weber MD, PhD
Erin Weber MD, PhD
Year
2025
2025
Institution
Indiana University
Indiana University
Funding Mechanism
ASPN/PSF Research Grant
ASPN/PSF Research Grant
Focus Area
Peripheral Nerve, Cranio/Maxillofacial/Head and Neck
Peripheral Nerve, Cranio/Maxillofacial/Head and Neck
Abstract
Project Summary
Traumatic nerve injuries of the hand, forearm, and arm are simple to repair surgically but most patients do not recover full hand function or sensation. This failure of consistently good results after surgical nerve repair is likely multi-factorial. When injured, a
nerve must regenerate or regrow from the point of injury until it reaches the muscle or skin to which it was originally attached. For injuries further away from target muscle or skin, such as those in the forearm or upper arm, nerve fibers need to regenerate over very long distances. About 50% of the nerve fibers fail to reach the target muscle or skin and 40% of those make their way back to the wrong muscle or skin, making connections that fail to produce motion or sensation.
Many different drugs have been investigated for their ability to improve nerve regeneration and, while some have shown promising effects in experimental studies, their positive effects are tempered by negative or toxic side effects. Therefore, we still do not have a drug which can improve nerve regeneration after surgical repair. Beta-caryophyllene is a naturally-occurring, non-toxic molecule found in many common herbs and spices. It reduces inflammation in many areas of the body and has been shown to reduce pain after injury. In skin wounds, beta-caryophyllene causes increased rates of wound healing by increasing the speed at which cells migrate or travel into the wound. Therefore, we questioned whether beta-caryophyllene might have a similar effect on healing of nerves after injury.
We hypothesize that treatment of nerves with beta-caryophyllene would enhance their ability to migrate or regenerate towards target muscle and skin. This proposal will evaluate the effect of beta-caryophyllene when applied to motor (muscle) and sensory (skin) nerves grown in culture. The rate and length at which the nerves send out long processes, as if regenerating, will be measured. We will also investigate how beta-caryophyllene achieves these effects by identifying the protein that it binds on the surface of the nerve. If successful in identifying a non-toxic molecule that can increase nerve migration, this proposal will pave the way for further studies of BCP on nerve regeneration after injury and may ultimately help us to design a new drug to improve function after nerve injury and repair.
Impact Statement
Nerve injury in the arm or hand can be easily repaired through surgery but most patients do not regain full hand function or sensation, despite a perfect repair. We currently do not have any medications which can improve nerve regeneration after injury. This research proposal seeks to evaluate a non-toxic molecule, beta-caryophyllene, found in many herbs and spices, for its potential to improve nerve regeneration. Beta-caryophyllene has already been shown to improve pain after nerve injury. The identification of a non-toxic compound with a dual effect on axonal regeneration and pain would simultaneously treat two very difficult problems arising from nerve injury and would be a great advancement in the field of peripheral nerve and hand surgery, a subspecialty within plastic surgery.
Project Summary
Traumatic nerve injuries of the hand, forearm, and arm are simple to repair surgically but most patients do not recover full hand function or sensation. This failure of consistently good results after surgical nerve repair is likely multi-factorial. When injured, a
nerve must regenerate or regrow from the point of injury until it reaches the muscle or skin to which it was originally attached. For injuries further away from target muscle or skin, such as those in the forearm or upper arm, nerve fibers need to regenerate over very long distances. About 50% of the nerve fibers fail to reach the target muscle or skin and 40% of those make their way back to the wrong muscle or skin, making connections that fail to produce motion or sensation.
Many different drugs have been investigated for their ability to improve nerve regeneration and, while some have shown promising effects in experimental studies, their positive effects are tempered by negative or toxic side effects. Therefore, we still do not have a drug which can improve nerve regeneration after surgical repair. Beta-caryophyllene is a naturally-occurring, non-toxic molecule found in many common herbs and spices. It reduces inflammation in many areas of the body and has been shown to reduce pain after injury. In skin wounds, beta-caryophyllene causes increased rates of wound healing by increasing the speed at which cells migrate or travel into the wound. Therefore, we questioned whether beta-caryophyllene might have a similar effect on healing of nerves after injury.
We hypothesize that treatment of nerves with beta-caryophyllene would enhance their ability to migrate or regenerate towards target muscle and skin. This proposal will evaluate the effect of beta-caryophyllene when applied to motor (muscle) and sensory (skin) nerves grown in culture. The rate and length at which the nerves send out long processes, as if regenerating, will be measured. We will also investigate how beta-caryophyllene achieves these effects by identifying the protein that it binds on the surface of the nerve. If successful in identifying a non-toxic molecule that can increase nerve migration, this proposal will pave the way for further studies of BCP on nerve regeneration after injury and may ultimately help us to design a new drug to improve function after nerve injury and repair.
Impact Statement
Nerve injury in the arm or hand can be easily repaired through surgery but most patients do not regain full hand function or sensation, despite a perfect repair. We currently do not have any medications which can improve nerve regeneration after injury. This research proposal seeks to evaluate a non-toxic molecule, beta-caryophyllene, found in many herbs and spices, for its potential to improve nerve regeneration. Beta-caryophyllene has already been shown to improve pain after nerve injury. The identification of a non-toxic compound with a dual effect on axonal regeneration and pain would simultaneously treat two very difficult problems arising from nerve injury and would be a great advancement in the field of peripheral nerve and hand surgery, a subspecialty within plastic surgery.
Biography
Dr. Erin Weber is an Assistant Professor in Surgery at Indiana University and a plastic surgeon who specializes in traumatic hand and
nerve injuries. She splits her time between caring for patients and conducting research in peripheral nerve injury and regeneration.
Dr. Weber attended Rice University for college where she majored in Biochemistry. She then entered the combined MD/PhD
program at the University of Southern California. Her graduate thesis examined ways to reduce the development of leukemia from
gene therapy, a problem which had occurred in 4 of 10 patients undergoing gene therapy for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency
(SCID). She subsequently continued her medical training at the University of Southern California with a residency in Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery. She paused residency for three years to complete a postdoctoral research fellowship in human hair follicle
regeneration. She completed her training with a 1-year fellowship in hand surgery and moved to Indiana in 2020.
Dr. Erin Weber is an Assistant Professor in Surgery at Indiana University and a plastic surgeon who specializes in traumatic hand and
nerve injuries. She splits her time between caring for patients and conducting research in peripheral nerve injury and regeneration.
Dr. Weber attended Rice University for college where she majored in Biochemistry. She then entered the combined MD/PhD
program at the University of Southern California. Her graduate thesis examined ways to reduce the development of leukemia from
gene therapy, a problem which had occurred in 4 of 10 patients undergoing gene therapy for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency
(SCID). She subsequently continued her medical training at the University of Southern California with a residency in Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery. She paused residency for three years to complete a postdoctoral research fellowship in human hair follicle
regeneration. She completed her training with a 1-year fellowship in hand surgery and moved to Indiana in 2020.