title: The efficacy of antioxidants in functional recovery of spinal cord injured rats: an experimental study.
abstract: A total of 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats (180-220 g) subjected to spinal cord injury (SCI) were divided into three groups of ten rats each. Group 1 served as control (SCI + Saline), Group 2 received daily dose of ascorbic acid 2,000 mg/kg body weight and group 3 rats received alpha tocopherol daily with the dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. The Spontaneous coordinate activity (SCA), Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) and Tarlov locomotor scores were used to assess functional recovery of SCI rats. Compared to group 1, group 2 showed statistically insignificant improvement in the SCA, BBB and Tarlov scores at the end of the study. Compared to group 1, group 3 showed statistically significant improvement in the SCA (P < 0.001), BBB (P < 0.001) and Tarlov (P < 0.01) scores at the end of the study. In conclusion, the administration of alpha-tocopherol enhances the reparative effects against SCI and it is more effective than ascorbic acid.
authors: Research Center, Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City, P.O. Box 64399, Riyadh 11536, Saudi Arabia. aalwinrobert@gmail.com
authors: Asirvatham Alwin
authors: AA
authors: Robert
authors: Marwan
authors: M
authors: Zamzami
authors: Asirvatham Edwin
authors: AE
authors: Sam
authors: Maher
authors: M
authors: Al Jadid
authors: Sultan
authors: S
authors: Al Mubarak
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D005260:Female; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid