title: Effect of curcumin on lipid peroxidation, early ultrastructural findings and neurological recovery after experimental spinal cord contusion injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After acute spinal cord injury (SCI), a large number of axons are lost by a cascade of pathophysiological events known as a secondary injury. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the potential neuroprotective effects of curcumin on lipid peroxidation (LPO), neurological function, and ultrastructural findings after SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty adult Wistar albino rats were randomized into five groups: control, SCI alone (50 g/cm weight drop), methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) (30 mg/kg), curcumin + dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (300 mg/kg), and DMSO alone (0.1 mg/kg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of curcumin significantly decreased LPO in first 24 hours. However, there were no differences in the neurological scores of injured rats between the medication groups and the control group. Curcumin was more effective than DMSO and MPSS in reducing LPO, whereas DMSO was more effective than curcumin and MPSS in minimizing ultrastuctural changes. The results of this study indicate that curcumin exerts a beneficial effect by decreasing LPO and may reduce tissue damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since ultrastructural and neurological findings does not support biochemical finding, our findings do not exclude the possibility that curcumin has a protective effect on the spinal cord ultrastructure and neurological recovery after SCI. A combination of curcumin with other vehicle may also have a considerable synergy in protecting spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: M.H. Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, 1st Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey. ahmetmetinsanli@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmet Metin
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sanli
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serbes
authors.forename: Mustafa Fevzi
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sargon
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Besalti
authors.forename: Kamer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kilinc
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Irak
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sekerci
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008776:Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate / Q000494:pharmacology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D008776:Methylprednisolone Hemisuccinate; D003474:Curcumin