Effects of resveratrol and methylprednisolone on biochemical, neurobehavioral and histopathological recovery after experimental spinal cord injury

Aim: To investigate the neuroprotective effect of resveratrol in an experimental spinal cord injury (SCI) model in rats. Methods: Male Wistar albino rats weighing 200-250 g were randomized into six groups. Weight-drop trauma was performed for SCI. Group 1 underwent laminectomy alone. Group 2 underwent laminectomy followed by SCI. Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 underwent laminectomy followed by SCI and received resveratrol (100 mg/kg), methylprednisolone (MP) (30 mg/kg), resveratrol (100 mg/kg) plus MP (30 mg/kg), and ethanol (2%), respectively. The rats were divided into two subgroups for biochemical analysis (killed at 24 h after surgery) and for neurobehavioral and histopathological evaluation (killed at 6 weeks after surgery). Posttraumatic neurological recovery after surgery was recorded weekly. Results: Groups 3 and 5 revealed significantly lower malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, xanthine oxidase, and higher glutathione levels than group 4 (P < 0.05). Neurological recovery rates were significantly better in groups 3 and 5 than group 4 (P < 0.05). When spinal trauma size ratios were compared, there was no significant difference between treatment groups. Conclusion: Resveratrol treatment revealed better biochemical recovery in the acute stage of trauma than MP treatment. Although resveratrol and combined treatment revealed better neurobehavioral recovery than MP treatment; resveratrol, MP, and combined treatment modalities improved histopathological recovery at the same level in the final stage of the experiment. Future studies involving different doses of resveratrol and different doses combinations with MP could promise better results as each drug has a different anti-oxidative mechanism of action.