title: Neurotoxic effects of intrathecal magnesium sulphate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the potential neurotoxic effects at the ultrastructural level of magnesium sulfate administered intrathecally as a single or multi-dose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study was conducted with 24 Sprague-Dawley rats that weighed 250-300 g. After a 4-hour fast, the rats were given 10 mg.kg(-1) xylazine chloride intraperitoneal and then randomly allocated into three groups. Group I (n = 8) received 0.9% normal saline, Group II (n = 8) was given one intrathecal injection of 0.02 mL of 15% magnesium sulphate, and Group III (n = 8) was given 0.02 mL of 15% magnesium sulphate once a day for seven days. The injections were given within 0.40x50 mm from the lumbar area. After seven days, the animals were sacrificed under anesthesia with an aortic injection of 10% formaldehyde and their tissues were fixed. The medulla spinalis was then examined and histopathologically evaluated under an electron microscope. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical evaluation. A value of p < .05 was considered to be statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant neurodegeneration was detected in rats given single or repeated magnesium sulphate injections compared to the control group. The histopathological evaluation score of this group was also high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on electron microscopic examination, we found that intrathecal magnesium sulphate administration induced neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Reanimation Department, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ozdogan
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Reanimation Department, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sastim
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Reanimation Department, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey. Electronic address: dilsenpinar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Dilsen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ornek
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Reanimation Department, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Postaci
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Reanimation Department, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taner
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ayerden
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Reanimation Department, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bayazit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dikmen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate
keywords: Electron.; Injections; Magnesium Sulphate; Microscopy; Spinal; Toxic Actions