Effect of Asiatic Acid on the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury: An Experimental Study in Rats.
OBJECTIVE
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition of the central nervous system. There is no proven therapeutic agent for the treatment of this complex disorder. Asiatic acid (AA) has been used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agent in Eastern countries for many years. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of AA on the treatment of traumatic SCI in rats.


METHODS
Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups as laminectomy, laminectomy+trauma, vehicle, and AA treatment groups. SCI was created by the modified Allen"s weight-drop technique. After the injury, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL1-&Beta;, TNF-&alpha;) and lipid peroxidation products (MDA) were measured. Tarlov functional recovery scores were also determined for each rat. The One-way ANOVA test was used for the analysis of difference between 4 experimental groups and the groups were compared individually by Tukey-LSD post hoc analysis test (p=0.001).


RESULTS
AA administration just after SCI attenuated the levels of lipid peroxidation products (MDA) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-&alpha;, IL1&Beta;). It also increased the Tarlov functional recovery scores of the rats.


CONCLUSIONS
AA administration could attenuate a number of deleterious reactions after traumatic SCI. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathways of neuroprotective effects of AA after spinal trauma.
Ankara Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey.
Oktay
O
Gurcan
Ahmet Gurhan
AG
Gurcay
Atilla
A
Kazanci
Salim
S
Senturk
Ebru
E
Bodur
Ebru Umay
EU
Karaca
Omer Faruk
OF
Turkoglu
Murad
M
Bavbek
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; C017032:asiatic acid