title: The Protective Effect of Curcumin on a Spinal Cord Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to investigate the neurological, biochemical, and histopathologic effects of both the acute and maintenance treatment of curcumin on an experimental spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury model in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The animals were randomly divided into 4 groups: (1) Sham, (2) ischemia-reperfusion (IR), (3) curcumin, and (4) solvent. Spinal cord ischemia was induced by clamping the aorta with minivascular clamps at a position just below the left renal artery and just proximal to the aortic bifurcation for 45 min. After 72 hr of reperfusion, neurological function was evaluated with a modified Tarlov score. In spinal cords, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and nitric oxide (NO) levels were detected biochemically. Immunohistochemical staining was performed by antibodies against interleukin-6 (IL-6) and myeloperoxidase. Histopathologic changes were examined with hematoxylin and eosin staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although MDA tissue levels were elevated significantly in the IR group compared with the sham group, SOD and GPx levels decreased. After the administration of curcumin, MDA levels in the spinal cord decreased, and SOD and GPx levels increased. Those changes were statistically significant. There was no significance at NO levels. Among all groups, there was no difference in IL-6 and myeloperoxidase immunostaining. Histopathological analysis showed that histopathological changes in the IR group were improved by curcumin treatment. In the curcumin group, neurological outcome scores were significantly better statistically when compared with the IR group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that curcumin possesses antioxidant, antiproliferative, and anticarcinogenic properties and may be an effective drug for the prevention of spinal cord IR injury in light of the neurologic, biochemical, and histopathological data of this study and published scientific literature.
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey. Electronic address: ilkerakar16@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: İlker
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlker
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: İnce
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Akgül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: İsmail
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Benli
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cemal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Educational and Research Hospital, Elazig, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sefa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Şenol
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Altunkas
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altındeger
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D003474:Curcumin