Effects of methylprednisolone and ganglioside GM-1 on a spinal lesion: a functional analysis.
OBJECTIVE
The pharmacological effects of methylprednisolone (MP) and ganglioside GM-1 on spinal injuries have been thoroughly investigated, but only a few studies have evaluated the interaction between these two drugs.


METHODS
Twenty-four Wistar rats were subjected to contusive injury of the spinal cord produced by the NYU system. These animals were divided into four groups: group I was injected with MP; group II was injected with GM-1; group III was injected with MP together with GM-1; and group control received physiological serum. The animals were evaluated with regard to their recovery of locomotive function by means of the BBB test on the second, seventh and fourteenth days after receiving the contusive injury to the spinal cord. They were sacrificed on the fourteenth day.


RESULTS
This study demonstrated that the MP and GM-1 groups presented functional results that were better than those of the control group, although the enhanced recovery of group II (GM-1) relative to the control group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The most notable recovery of locomotive function was observed in the group that received MP alone (p<0.05). The group that received MP together with GM-1 presented results that were better than those of the control group (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of methylprednisolone alone or with GM-1 was shown to be effective for recovery of locomotive function. Combined administration of these drugs resulted in better outcomes than administration of methylprednisolone alone.
Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. marciopennac@uol.com.br
Márcio Oliveira Penna
MO
Carvalho
Tarcisio Eloy Pessoa de
TE
Barros Filho
Marcos Antonio
MA
Tebet
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; D008775:Methylprednisolone