Edaravone exhibits neuroprotective effects in rats following acute spinal cord injury

高强度创伤引起的脊髓损伤(SCI)会导致严重的神经后遗症。本研究的目的是通过电生理学方法阐明依达拉奉是否改善了运动功能结果，从而代表了脊髓损伤早期急性阶段的治疗策略。在腹腔注射乌拉坦后，将大鼠安装在立体定向框架上，并进行椎板切除以暴露脊髓。用脊髓运动诱发电位(MEPs)检测运动通路中的信号传导。脊髓损伤是通过硬膜外放置10克体重诱导的。挫伤后，依达拉奉(3 mg/kg/h)治疗的大鼠脊髓MEP波幅恢复到基线的60%。我们的电生理分析表明，依达拉奉治疗后脊髓传导功能得到了更好的保护。依达拉奉可最大限度地促进脊髓损伤后运动功能的恢复，为急性脊髓损伤提供了一种新的治疗策略。

Spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting from high-intensity trauma can lead to severe neurological sequelae. The purpose of the present study was to clarify via electrophysiological methods whether edaravone improves motor functional outcomes and thereby represents a therapeutic strategy in the early acute stage of SCI. Following an intraperitoneal injection of urethane, rats were mounted on a stereotactic frame, and laminectomies were carried out to expose the spinal cord. Signal conduction in the motor pathways was assessed using spinal motor evoked potentials (MEPs). SCI was induced via extradural placement of a 10-gram weight. Following the contusion, the amplitude of spinal MEPs recovered to 60% of baseline in edaravone (3 mg/kg/h)-treated rats. Our electrophysiological analysis indicates that spinal cord conduction is better preserved following edaravone. Edaravone may maximize motor functional recovery following SCI and represent a novel therapeutic strategy for acute SCI.