Investigation of the neuroprotective effect of alpha lipoic acid and methylprednisolone on the spine cord ischemia-reperfusion injury

İNTRODUCTİONPrimary spinal cord injury is defined as the injury occurring at the time of the trauma. The metabolic and biochemical processes lead to the secondary trauma in the following hours after the primary trauma. Free radicals and ischemic reperfusion injury are two factors which play role in secondary injury.In this study we searched the protective effect of alpha lipoic acid and methylprednysolone ,where their neuro-protective effects were earlier studied by different writers, by using the ischemy-reperfusion model in rabbits .Ischemy-reperfusion injury on spinal cord is assessed with abdominal aorta cross-clemping procedure which is generally prefered in the same type of studies.MATERIALS AND METHODS35 new zealand rabbits were randomized into five groups. Group 1;Sham(n=7),group 2; ischemy-reperfusion(n=7), group 3 ;alpha lipoic acit treatment (n=7) group 4; methylprednisolone treatment and group 5 ;alpha lipoic acit and methylprednisolone treatment. Although group 1 was experienced with only abdominal surgery, subjects in other groups were experienced with abdominal aorta cross ? clamping for 30 minutes and then reperfusion was supplied.100 mgr /kg LA for group 3 , 30 mgr/kg MP for group 4 ,100 mgr/kg LA and 30 mgr/kg MP for group 5 was intraperiteonally administered. Neurologic examination with tarlov scale was done at. 0th,12th 24th and 48th hours and subjects were sacrified at the end of 48. hour after tissue, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood sample were obtained.To evaluate the effects ; biochemical examination of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in plasma and CSF; malondialdehyde (MDA),nitric oxide (NO), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), catalase (CAT) and super oxide dismutase (SOD) levels in tissue samples were assesed. Spinal tissue samples were also assesed histopathologically.Results were calculated statistically and compared between the groups.DIAGNOSES:with the biochemical analyse of spinal cord tissue samples ,MDA levels in I/R group were significiantly increased(p=0,002). NO levels weren?t meaningful.MDA levels were increased with the treatment.This increasement wasn?t meaningful in LA group ,but meaningful in MP and MP-LA groups.After LA treatment ; antioxidant enzymes SOD(p=0,002),GSH-Px(p=0,002),CAT(p=0,049) were increased meaningfully considering I/R group,but MDA levels weren?t different meaningfully considering I/R group.After MP and MP-LA treatment tissue MDA levels were meaningfully increased considering I/R group(p=0,004,p=0,002).In all treatment groups NO levels were meaningfully decreased considering I/R group(p=0,016,p=0,003,p=0,015)In I/R group histopathological neuronal viability decreased meaningfully considering sham group(p=0,001),the values obtained by seperate administration of LA and MP ; showed meaningfully increasement considering I/R group(p=0,001,p=0,001). Administration of LA and MP together didn?t show any differance considering I/R group.No meaningful difference was observed in neurological function between treatment groups and I/R group.RESULT:Antioxidant efficiency on spinal cord is shown by administration of LA or MP, but decreasing oxidative stress wasn?t proven.Histopathologically, meaningful effects for protection of spinal cord tissue were observed by administration of LA or MP. No benefits neurofunctionally were observed in any treatment groups.