title: Evaluation of the Combination of Methylprednisolone and Tranilast after Spinal Cord Injury in Rat Models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the neuroprotective functions of the combination therapy using methylprednisolone (MP) and tranilast (TR) after spinal cord injury (SCI) in adult rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spinal cord compression injury model was achieved using Yasargil aneurysm clip. Rats were divided into control group, MP group, TR group, and combination therapy group using TR and MP. Rat models were assessed for locomotor functional recovery using Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) score, spinal cord water content and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity 24 hours post SCI, haematoxylin and eosin staining and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) staining at 7 and 14 days post SCI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The spinal cord water content and MPO activity in the combination therapy group was significantly lower than the control group and the individual therapy groups p<0.05. The combination therapy group had significantly higher BBB scores than control group and individual therapy groups (p<0.05). At one week after SCI, GFAP expression in the combination group was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.05) but there was no significant difference compared to the individual therapy groups (p>0.05). At 2 weeks after SCI there was a slight decrease in GFAP expression compared to the first week but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05), GFAP expression between the groups was not statistically significant p>0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining MP and TR is therapeutically more effective in improving functional recovery, inhibiting inflammation and glial scar formation after acute SCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (Unit III), First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi City, China.
authors.forename: Ngwayi James Reeves
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mbori
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (Unit III), First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi City, China.
authors.forename: Xie Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (Unit III), First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi City, China.
authors.forename: Qiao Xiao
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi City, China.
authors.forename: Mujahid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alizada
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (Unit III), First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang Province, Jiamusi City, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhan
keywords: GFAP; Glial scar; Methylprednisolone; Myeloperoxidase; Spinal cord injury; Tranilast