Effects of carvacrol on spinal cord edema and oxidative stress reaction after spinal cord injury in rats

LI Guo-liang; DI Fang; YANG Ya-dong

doi:10.13798/j.issn.1009-153X.2016.09.012

Abstract：Objective To investigate the effects of carvacrol on spinal cord edema, oxidative stress reaction and cell apoptosis after spinal cord injury in rats. Methods Spine cord injury (SCI) at the tenth thoracic vertebrae level was induced by the modified weight-drop method. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12 animals each, i.e. sham operation group (laminectomy was only performed without SCI), SCI group and experimental groups 1, 2, and 3. Each rat received intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg carvacrol once a day respectively for 3 days in the experimental groups 1, 2 and 3. The motor function of the hind limb was determined by the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) scale 24, 48 and 72 hours after SCI in all the groups, in which water content in injured spinal cord tissues was determined. The malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH) were determined in the injured spinal cord tissues, in which the expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins were detected by Western blot. Results BBB Scale scores were significantly higher in all the experimental groups than those in SCI group (P<0.05). The water content in the injured spinal cord tissues was significantly less in all the experimental groups than that in SCI group 72 hours after SCI (P<0.05). The activities of MDA, CAT, SOD and GSH were signicantly lower in all the experimental groups than those in SCI group 72 hours after SCI (P<0.05). The level of Bax expression was significantly lower and the level of Bcl-2 expression was significantly higher in all the experimental groups than those in SCI group (P<0.05). Conclusions It is suggested that carvacrol protects the injured spinal cord via suppressing spinal cord edema and oxidative stress reaction and anti-apoptotic pathway.