Abstract

EFFECT OF AGMATINE IN SPINAL CORD INJURY MODULATION BY IMIDAZOLINE RECEPTORS

Vaishali A Mahajan* and Dr. C.T. Chopde

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord injury often result in disability or loss of movement and sensation below the site of injury. Systematically administered agmatine significantly reduces the mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia as well as allodynia in neuropathic mice caused by spinal cord injury. However exact mechanism is still unclear. The present study examined the involvement of imidazoline receptor on functional recovery exhibited by agmatine following spinal cord injury. Method: Compression spinal cord injury was developed by placing 5g weight for 30 sec at thoracic vertebra 10-12 segment. Animal were injected with agmatine (2.5,5,10 mg/kg,i.p.), clonidine(0.1mg/kg), moxonidine(0.5mg/kg), efaroxan (1mg/kg), idazoxan (3mg/kg) and their combination observed for locomotor recovery. RESULT: Experimental spinal cord injury resulted in complete loss of movment of hindlimb in exposed animal. Agmatine treatment significantly improved locomotor recovery of the animals subjected to SCI. Imidazoline agonist clonidine moxonidine potentiated while, imadazoline antagonist idazoxan and efaroxan blocked effect of agmatine in SCI. Conclusion: Chronic agmatine treatment showed effect of locomotor recovery in SCI animal and evidences suggest that this effect was possibly mediated imidazoline receptors.

Keywords: Spinal cord injury, agmatine, imidazoline receptor, locomotor recovery, mice.