The protective effects of cyceoheximide on the spinal cord

Objective To study the protective effects and the mechanism of cyceoheximide(CH)on the spinal cord.Method Following a controlled,severe degree compression injury to the lower thoracic spinal cord(T8.9),rats were devided into two groups randomly.One group of rats were treated with saline solution(20μl)intrathecally 15 minutes after injury.The other rats were administrated CH(30μg,20μg)intrathecally.The changes of weight,spinal cord blood flow (SCBF),the terminal deoxynuclcitidyl transferase－mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL),neurological function and quantitation histological sparing were observed. Result We found that CH had littte effects on the weight and SCBF.But CH could improve the neurological function and area of spared normal tissure，and the number of TUNEL－positive cells.Conclusion The results seggest that CH has neuroprotective effects on the injuried spinal cord,the mechanism of the beneficial effects of CH may be result from reduction of spinal cord cell apoptosis.