The effect of melatonin and melatonin+dexpanthenol combined therapy on biochemical, moleculer genetic and histopathological parameters changes in the late stage of experimental spinal cord injury

Aim: To show the effects of Melatonin and Melatonin-Dexpanthenol Combined Treatment on Biochemical, Molecular Genetic and Histopathological Changes in the Late Stage of Experimental Spinal Cord Injury in Rats. Material and Method: Forty-two Sprague Dawley female rats, 7 in each group; The control was divided into 6 groups as Sham, SCI, SCI+Dex, SCI+Mel and SCI+Dex+Mel. Neurological examinations were performed periodically. MRI scans were performed at the end of the 3rd week and at the end of the treatment. After the end of the drug treatment protocol, spinal cord tissue samples were taken and analyzed by biochemical, molecular genetic and histopathological methods. Results: In the biochemical analyzes, increased GSH, SOD, MDA and XO levels were detected in the SCI, SCI+Dex and SCI+Mel groups compared to the control group. The levels of GSH, SOD, MDA and XO, which increased with spinal cord damage, decreased to the levels of the control group in the SCI+Dex+Mel group. In gene expression analyzes, no changes in gene expressions were detected in any group. Considering the radiological parameters, the increase in spinal cord volume showed a significant decrease in all drug-administered treatment groups, while the increase in T2 signal decreased significantly only in the SCI+Dex+Mel group. Mean MTS measurements were significantly better in the SCI+Dex and SCI+Dex+Mel groups at the last measurements. In the histopathological examination, while severe pathological damage due to trauma was detected in the SCI group, it was determined that the application of Mel, Dex improved this damage, and the combined treatment of Mel and Dex together had a more restorative effect on the damage. Conclusion: In our study, we think that Mel+Dex combined therapy may provide clinical benefit in the treatment of this damage in the late phase of SCI. Key Words: Dexpanthenol, Gene Expression, Melatonin, Spinal Cord Injury, Rat