Aim: To determine the neuroprotective functions of quercetin and compare them with methylprednisolone in an experimental spinal cord injury model in rats.
Material and methods: Thirty male, Wistar rats were assigned to five experimental groups: sham (n=6), trauma (n=6), methylprednisolone (n=6), single dose quercetin (n=6), and multiple doses of quercetin (n=6). An aneurysm clip compression method was used to produce spinal cord injury at level T7-9 after performing a laminectomy. In the sham group, only a laminectomy was performed. Clip compression was performed to the spinal cord after laminectomy in the trauma group. For Group 3, a single dose of intraperitoneal (ip) methylprednisolone (30mg/kg) was administered after laminectomy and trauma. A single dose of ip quercet in (100mg/kg) was administered after laminectomy and trauma in Group 4. For Group 5, multiple doses of ip quercetin (100 mg/kg) were administered on the first, second, and third days after laminectomy and trauma. Spinal cord and serum samples were obtained to measure the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant levels (TAL) at the 72nd hour. Neurofunctional examinations of all the rats according to Drummond and Moore criteria and inclined-plane tests to evaluate functional healing were performed. All rats were sacrificed via intracardiac blood depletion after the procedure.
Results: Quercetin and methylprednisolone both increased plasma and tissue levels of NO and MDA, and decreased TAL, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). NO and MDA levels in plasma and tissue were significantly higher in the trauma group (Group 2) when compared to the sham group (Group 1), and TAL levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in the treatment group's inclined-plane test (p < 0.05), while there was no difference in motor examination evaluations.
Conclusion: The results of this experimental study suggest that quercetin can be thought as an option of treatment in spinal cord injury.