Disclosed herein is a method of promoting neuronal outgrowth in a neuron. The method comprises contacting the neuron with an effective amount of hypoxanthine, to thereby promote neuronal outgrowth of the neuron. The hypoxanthine may be contacted in the absence of xanthine oxidase and/or in the absence of exogenous nerve growth factor (NGF), and/or in the absence of exogenous D-mannose, and/or in the absence of exogenous oncomodulin, and/or in the absence of exogenous TGF-B. The neuron may be an optic nerve neuron or a retinal neuron and/or an injured neuron. Neurons may be from the central nervous system (CNS) or the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The methods are useful for treating an injured neuron, for example to an optic nerve neuron, resulting from branch and central vein/artery occlusion, trauma, edema, angle-closure glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma. Methods of treatment of various neurological injuries and diseases, as well as therapeutic compositions, are also disclosed.
