RESUMO
Objective To observe the changes in serum and spinal cord nitric oxide (NO) levels after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rabbits. Methods The Zivin method was used to induce spinal cord IR injury in rabbits, in which the NO levels in the serum and spinal cord tissues were observed dynamically. Results In rabbits with spinal cord IR injury, the serum NO levels increased gradually after spinal cord IR injury and reached a peak level at 2 h, showing significant difference from the levels of before ischemia (P<0.05), and followed by obvious reduction at 6 and 12 h after the injury (P<0.05). In the spinal cord tissue homogenate, the NO levels increased significantly to reach the peak level at the end of the ischemia (P<0.05), and then decreased obviously at 2 and 6 h to the level comparable to that in the sham-operated group (P>0.05). Conclusions NO is over-expressed in the serum and spinal cord tissue in rabbits following spinal cord IR injury, and may play a role in neuronal damage and repair in the event of spinal cord IR injury.