Neuroprotective Effects of Gabapentin in Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

BACKGROUND: Extensive research has focused on neuroprotection after spinal cord trauma to alleviate the effects of secondary injury. This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effects of gabapentin in experimental spinal cord injury. METHODS: Thirty-six adult, male Wistar rats received spinal cord injury using the clip compression method. Animals were divided into five groups. High (200 mg/kg) and low doses (30 mg/kg) of gabapentin were administered to the animals in the treatment groups after spinal cord trauma and ultrastructural findings and lipid peroxidation levels of these two groups were compared with the animals that received only laminectomy, only trauma, and trauma and 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone. RESULTS: Regarding tissue lipid peroxidation levels after trauma, animals in gabapentin groups demonstrated better results than the trauma group. However, these results were no better than the methylprednisolone group. The results regarding the ultrastructural findings were similar. Treatment groups demonstrated better ultrastructural findings than the trauma group. In addition, the results of the high dose gabapentin group were significantly better than the low dose gabapentin group. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin demonstrated similar neuroprotective effects as methylprednisolone in early phase of spinal cord injury. Further studies with different experimental settings including neurological outcome are required to achieve conclusive results.