Effects of erigeron breviscapus （Vant.） Hand-Mazz pretreatment on pathology and oxyradical level following spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits

Effects of erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz pretreatment on pathology and oxyradical level following spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits

Objective To investigate the effects of erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz (erigeron breviscapus) pretreatment on pathology and oxyradical level in the spinal cord after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rabbits. Methods A total of 40 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operation group with 10 rabbits treated with only abdominal aorta exposure without occlusion, control group with 15 rabbits that underwent ischemia for 50 minutes and treated with matched saline, and experimental group with 15 rabbits that underwent ischemia for 50 minutes and treated with erigeron breviscapus (9mg/kg) injection before ischemia. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the spinal cord were examined at 6 and 24 hours after I/R, respectively. The morphological changes and the number of the spinal cord anterior horn motor neurons were observed and counted under the light microscope and electron microscope, respectively. Results The level of MDA was markedly decreased and SOD activity was increased in the experimental group compared with those in the control group (P<0.01). Compared with that in the control group, the number of motor neurons in the experimental group significantly increased at 24h after I/R (P<0.01) and the morphous of the motor neurons improved. Conclusion Erigeron breviscapus can reduce oxyradical production and the apoptosis of nerve cells, and protect nerve tissue structure and function after spinal cord I/R.