NMDA receptor blockage with 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid improves oxidative stress after spinal cord trauma in rats.

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV) is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker and has neuroprotective properties. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of APV treatment on oxidative status after spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: The experiment was carried out on the following five groups Group 1 sham operated, non-traumatized; Group 2 with injured spinal cord, no treatment; Group 3 with SCI, injected with 100 microg kg(-1) APV; Group 4 with SCI, injected with 200 microg kg(-1) APV; and Group 5 with SCI, injected with 400 microg kg(-1) APV. SCI was inflicted by epidural compression with a cerebral vascular clip after T9-11 laminectomy. The experiments were completed after 12 h of trauma. Spinal cords were excised for evaluation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH) and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels. RESULTS: After SCI, SOD and GSH levels decreased and the MDA level increased significantly. APV treatment decreased the MDA level and increased SOD, catalase and GSH levels. The maximum decrease in MDA was detected in the group treated with 100 microg kg(-1) APV compared with the other groups. The GSH level was significantly increased in the group treated with 200 microg kg(-1) APV. The SOD level was significantly increased in the group treated with 200 microg kg(-1) APV. CONCLUSION: The results of this study have shown that APV treatment creates a dose-dependent antioxidant effect in rats with SCI and may be used for the treatment of SCIs.