Investigation of the threapeutic effects levetiracetam and magnetic field in experimental spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) produces neurological deficits, and thus significantly affect the lifestyle of the subjects as well as their families. Although many approaches have been proposed for treatment, only methylprednizolone is used routinely in the clinics. Recently, antiepileptics and magnetic field have been proposed to possess neuroregenerative properties. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of combined magnetic field and a new generation antiepileptic levetiracetam treatment in experimental spinal cord injury. Adult Wistar rats were divided into six groups, namely laminectomy, trauma, methylprednizolone, levetiracetam (LEV), magnetic field (MF), and combined levetiracetam and magnetic field (LEVMF) treatment groups. Spinal cord contusion injury was generated at T10 level, afterwards methylprednisolone was administered i.p. at a single 30 mg/kg dose and levetiracetam was administered by oral gavage at a 100 mg/kg dose. Low frequency 50 Hz 1 mT magnetic field was applied in a selenoid for 30 min/day. Functional behaviour of rats were assessed using BBB scores. At the end of 21 day treatment period, spinal cords were dissected. 12 μm thick spinal cord sections were obtained by a cryotome and placed onto BaF2 windows for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) imaging studies. BBB scores revealed that levetiracetam, magnetic field and combined magnetic field and levetiracetam treatments led to an improvement in the behavioural functions of the rats, but not as prominent as methylprednizolone treatment. The results of FTIR analysis revealed that SCI led to an increase in the amount of lipid degredation with an increase in content of phosphate containing lipids with a decrease in ester containing lipids. Methylprednizolone and the combined LEVMF treatment restored this alterations in lipid composition. SCI resulted in an increase in the content of shorter lipid acyl chains, whereas methylprednisolone and the combined LEVMF treatment led to an increase in the content of longer lipid acyl chains as in that of laminectomy group. Similarly, SCI resulted in a decrease of the ethyl group amount in lipids and methylprednizolone and combine LEVMF treatment led to an increase in ethyl group amount. Compared to the laminectomy group, the lipid to protein ratio increased in the remaining groups, where the mst prominent increase was in LEV group. In all the groups except laminectomy, especially in MA and LEV treatment groups, there was a decrease in the content of unsaturated lipids, however the combined LEVMF treatment led to a slight decrease in unsaturated content preventing lipid peroxidation. The results of this study implicated that the combined strategy of LEVMF treatment was efficient in prevention of the secondary injury by restoring the SCI-induced alterations in lipid structure and composition as well as preventing oxidative stress in spinal cords, and warrants further investigations.