title: Effects of ganglioside G(M1) and erythropoietin on spinal cord lesions in rats: functional and histological evaluations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the functional and histological effects of ganglioside G(M1) and erythropoietin after experimental spinal cord contusion injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty male Wistar rats underwent experimental spinal cord lesioning using an NYU-Impactor device and were randomly divided into the following groups, which received treatment intraperitoneally. The G(M1) group received ganglioside G(M1) (30 mg/kg); the erythropoietin group received erythropoietin (1000 IU/kg); the combined group received both drugs; and the saline group received saline (0.9%) as a control. A fifth group was the laminectomy group, in which the animals were subjected to laminectomy alone, without spinal lesioning or treatment. The animals were evaluated according to the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) scale, motor evoked potential recordings and, after euthanasia, histological analysis of spinal cord tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The erythropoietin group had higher BBB scores than the G(M1) group. The combined group had the highest BBB scores, and the saline group had the lowest BBB scores. No significant difference in latency was observed between the three groups that underwent spinal cord lesioning and intervention. However, the combined group showed a significantly higher signal amplitude than the other treatment groups or the saline group (p<0.01). Histological tissue analysis showed no significant difference between the groups. Axonal index was significantly enhanced in the combined group than any other intervention (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  G(M1) and erythropoietin exert therapeutic effects on axonal regeneration and electrophysiological and motor functions in rats subjected to experimental spinal cord lesioning and administering these two substances in combination potentiates their effects.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Divisão de Cirurgia de Coluna Vertebral, Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 41), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raphael Martus
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Marcon
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Divisão de Cirurgia de Coluna Vertebral, Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 41), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Fogaça
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cristante
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Divisão de Cirurgia de Coluna Vertebral, Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 41), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tarcísio Eloy Pessoa
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: de Barros
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Divisão de Cirurgia de Coluna Vertebral, Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 41), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP), Divisão de Cirurgia de Coluna Vertebral, Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM 41), São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Bispo
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009336:Necrosis; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside