Effect of nimodipine and N-acetylcysteine on lipid peroxidation after experimental spinal cord injury

The effectiveness of nimodipine and N-acetylcysteine in experimental spinal cord injury was evaluated by measuring tissue lipid peroxidation levels of the damaged spinal cords 1 hour after the injury. We used the clip compres sion method to produce acute spinal cord injury in 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The rats were divided into four groups of 10 each. Lipid p eroxidation was assessed by measuring the tissue content of malonil dialdeh yde (MDA). In group 3, nimodipine, and in group 4, N-acetylcysteine was adm inistered i.p. as a single dose immediately after the injury. The rats were sacrificed 1 hour after clip application. The tissue mean MDA content was 3,992 mu mol MDA/gww in group 1 (sham operated), 10,192 mu mol MDA/gww in g roup 2 (trauma), 10,449 mu mol MDA/gww in group 3 (nimodipine treatment) an d 9,009 mu mol MDA/gww in group 4 (N-acetylcysteine treatment). These resul ts demonstrated that a single dose of nimodipine and N-acetylcysteine had n o effect on peroxidation of lipid membranes in the early period of experime ntal spinal cord injury.