Turkish Neurosurgery 2019 , Vol 29 , Num 5
Neuroprotective Effects of Lacosamide in Experimental Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Serdar DEMIROZ1,Koray UR2,Aykut ULUCAN3,Aydin Sukru BENGU4,Feyza DEMIRALIN UR5,Ozlem Oz GERGIN6,Sevki ERDEM7
1Bingol State Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bingol, Turkey
2Bingol State Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Bingol, Turkey
3Bingol University Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Pathology Laboratory Programme, Bingol, Turkey
4Bingol University Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Medical Laboratory Programme, Bingol, Turkey
5Bingol State Hospital, Department of Neurology, Bingol, Turkey
6Kayseri Education and Research Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Kayseri, Turkey
7Medicana Kadikoy Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.25891-19.2 AIM: To evaluate the effects of lacosamide on traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats.

MATERIAL and METHODS: A total of 28 male Wistar albino rats, each weighing 300–350 g, were included. They were randomly assigned to four groups. In Group 1, only a laminectomy was performed; in Group 2, SCI was performed after laminectomy; in Group 3, SCI was performed after laminectomy followed by lacosamide administration, and in Group 4, SCI was performed after laminectomy followed by physiological saline administration. After 48 hours, all animals were sacrificed, blood samples were drawn, and their spinal cords were removed. The serum levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured, and the spinal cord specimens were examined for neuronal degeneration (PND).

RESULTS: The MDA level was the lowest and the antioxidant enzyme levels were the highest in Group 3. There were statistically significant differences between Group 3 and the others in their PND score, serum MDA, SOD, GPX and catalase levels (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Lacosamide has a neuroprotective effect in SCI in rats that is related to its ability to decrease the production of reactive oxygen species by increasing antioxidant enzyme expression, inhibit lipid peroxidation and attenuate glial cell activation. Keywords : Lacosamide, Spinal cord injury, Neuroprotective agents, Oxidative stress, Rat

Corresponding author : Serdar DEMIROZ, serdardemiroz@hotmail.com