NEUROPROTECTIVE ACTION OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC acid IN THE SIMULATION OF COMPRESSION SPINAL CORD INJURY

Abstract

One of the promising neuroprotective agents are drugs of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which has a proven ability to be metabolized into compounds that regulate inflammation and restore structural and metabolic integrity of nerve tissue after injury. Methods. Using male rats with the weight of about 250 g the researchers simulated spinal cord injury and then visually monitored the locomotor activity according to vegetative function restorability scale (VVV scale). Part of the test animals have been injected DHA emulsion (subdermally in a dose of 45 mg/kg) for 3 weeks. After 5 weeks the scholars took the animals out of the experience and performed a morphological study of the spinal cord. Results. Hind limb locomotor activity after taking DHA recovered significantly better. Restoration of vegetative functions was observed at the average on the ninth day after injury. Morphological state of post-traumatic defect zone and adjacent areas indicated that the recovery of functions in the animals treated with DHA could be defined by the drug ability to modulate post-traumatic degenerative and regenerative processes. Conclusions. The experimental results indicate that the use of DHA contributes to the development of a number of metabolic and cellular processes that lead to better recovery of motor function in the animals with spinal cord injury.