title: Antioxidant effect of quercetin against acute spinal cord injury in rats and its correlation with the p38MAPK/iNOS signaling pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between quercetin (Que) and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)/inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) signaling pathway and to explore its regulating effect on secondary oxidative stress following acute spinal cord injury (SCI), so as to elucidate the protective effects and mechanism associated with Que treatment during acute SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-surgery, SCI, Que, methylprednisolone (MP), and specific p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 treatment groups. Acute SCI models were established in rats by a modified Allen's method. Real-time PCR analysis, western blot assay and immunohistochemistry for molecular changes in the p38MAPK/iNOS signaling pathway, determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, reflecting the levels of secondary oxidative stress, and functional or behavioral data, reflecting changes induced by Que and control treatments post-SCI were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Que significantly increased Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scores and inclined plane test scores in SCI rats similar to the positive control drug, MP. Que significantly inhibited increases in phosphorylated-p38MAPK (p-p38MAPK) and iNOS expression and reduced the rate of iNOS-positive cells in rats with SCI, similar to the effects of SB203580. In addition, both Que and SB203580 reduced MDA content and enhanced SOD activity in SCI rats, with Que effects being stronger.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These experimental findings indicate that in SCI rats, Que has protective effects on the spinal cord by the potential mechanism of inhibiting the activation of p38MAPK/iNOS signaling pathway and thus regulating secondary oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Hospital of Zhejiang General Corps of Armed Police Forces, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province 314000, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jianqiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tongkun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhongyou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D011794:Quercetin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases