RESUMEN
Lipoic acid [LA] is an effective anti-oxidant agent that can scavenge free radicals in biological systems. The aim of this research was to study the probable protective effect of LA in spinal ischemic/reperfusion [I/R] injury. Thirty male Wistar rats, weighing 230-285 g, were assigned randomly into 3 groups [10 animals in each group]: sham spinal I/R, and spinal I/R + LA. The spinal I/R + LA rats received LA 100 mg/kg subcutaneously 3 days prior to ischemia induction and 3 days after. The induction of ischemia lasted for 30 min. At 72 h postoperatively, the neurological status was worse in the I/R group than the sham group [p < 0.05]. The neurological status of animals in the LA-treated group appeared better than the I/R group [p < 0.05]. In the I/R group, tissue glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and super oxide dismutase [SOD] activity were significantly less compared to the control group [p < 0.05]. In the LA-treated group, tissue GPx and SOD levels were higher compared to the I/R group [p < 0.05]. LA pretreatment reduced neurologic injury in the rats, most probably by maintaining the oxidant/anti-oxidant ion balance during spinal cord ischemia. Reperfusion may have contributed to the protective effects seen in the LA pretreatment