Zeitschrift für Wirbelsäule

Effects of Rifampicin on Experimental Spinal Cord Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Abstract

Erhan Arslan, Ertugrul Cakir and Murat Selcuk Eminagaoglu

Objective: The effect of rifampisin was examined using a spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury model in rats.

Materials and Methods: 25 Wistar Albino rats weighing 200-250 g were used for the study. Rats were divided in 5 groups. After laparatomy, aorta was clamped 45 minutes below the left renal artery in all groups except shamoperated group. 1 cc saline was injected to vehicle group and rifampicin (20 mg/kg) was administered to treatment group intraperitoneally. In group 5, 20 mg/kg of rifampicin applied intraperitoneally before laparotomy. 2 hours after application of rifampicin, the animals underwent clip compression for 45 minutes after exposure of the abdominal aorta. At 1 h and 24 h, all groups were examined for neurologic outcome according to Tarlov scale. At 24 h, rats were sacrificed. The spinal cord was excised by laminectomy between the T8-12 levels and tissue MDA levels were studied.

Results: At 1 h, difference between motor scores of sham-operated group and other groups was statistically significant (P=0.008). At 24 h, difference between trauma and treatment or p-treatment group was statistically significant (P<0.05). When MDA levels of the groups were compared by using Kruskal Wallis variance analysis, the result was statistically significant (P=0.001). When trauma and vehicle group were compared with treatment group by Mann Whitney U test, the results were statistically significant (P=0.008).

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows the effects of rifampicin on spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. Rifampicin was found to be effective on spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury, but further investigations are mandatory.