Neuroprotective effects of mexiletine on motor evoked potentials in demyelinated rat spinal cords.
This study was conducted to whether the administration of mexiletine, a Na+ channel blocker, impacts the recovery from demyelination. Under anesthesia, 0.1% ethidium bromide was injected into the dorsal funiculus (T3), followed by a mexiletine or saline treatment. Motor evoked potential (MEP) recordings and luxol fast blue stainings were performed at one, seven, 14, and 21 days post-operatively. Conduction was delayed during demyelination, but the mexiletine-injected group demonstrated shortened latencies and reductions in the demyelination area when compared to the control. These results suggest that systemic mexiletine plays a positive role in protecting neural tissues from demyelination.
Lee
Kyung Hee
KH
Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yoon
Do Heum
DH
Chung
Myung-Ae
MA
Sohn
Jin-Hun
JH
Lee
Hye-Jung
HJ
Lee
Bae Hwan
BH
D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004996:Ethidium; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008801:Mexiletine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D008801:Mexiletine; D004996:Ethidium