Cyclosporin-A inhibits lipid peroxidation after spinal cord injury in rats

Besides its immunosuppresive/anti-inflammatory activity, cyclosporin-A (CsA ) may protect damaged tissues from lipid peroxidation (LP) by free radicals . To determine the effect of CsA on LP spinal cord (SC) injury, Wistar rats were treated with either vehicle or CsA (2.5 mg/kg per 12 h i.p.) 1, 2, 6 or 12 h after SC trauma by T8-T9 spinal cord contusion, analyzing LP 24 h a fter injury at the lesion site by the lipid fluorescent products formation method. CsA significantly diminished LP to levels below control values afte r contusion (P < 0.05). The greater inhibition was observed when CsA was gi ven du ring the fi rst 6 h after injury, furthermore, animals showed a sign ificant clinical improvement. Results show that CsA may be beneficial to in jured tissue by inhibiting the levels of LP. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science irel and Ltd. All rights reserved.