Melatonin Synergizes With Methylprednisolone to Ameliorate Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Jiaqi Bi; Jiaqi Bi; Jiaqi Bi; Peiyu Sun; Peiyu Sun; Erwei Feng; Jianxiong Shen; Chong Chen; Haining Tan; Zheng Li; Youxi Lin

doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.723913

Frontiers in Pharmacology (Jan 2022)

Melatonin Synergizes With Methylprednisolone to Ameliorate Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Jiaqi Bi,
Jiaqi Bi,
Jiaqi Bi,
Peiyu Sun,
Peiyu Sun,
Erwei Feng,
Jianxiong Shen,
Chong Chen,
Haining Tan,
Zheng Li,
Youxi Lin

Affiliations

Jiaqi Bi: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Jiaqi Bi: Emergency Department, SongBei Hospital of the Fourth Hospital Affiliated with Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
Jiaqi Bi: Postdoctoral Workstation, Harbin Children’s Hospital, Harbin, China
Peiyu Sun: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Peiyu Sun: Department of Orthopedics, Bejing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Erwei Feng: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Jianxiong Shen: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Chong Chen: Department of Spine Surgery, Orthopedics Center of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital and Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
Haining Tan: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Zheng Li: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Youxi Lin: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.723913
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12

Abstract

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Methylprednisolone (MP) is the drug of choice for treating spinal cord injury (SCI), but the aggressive dosage regimen used often results in adverse side effects. Therefore, MP should be combined with other drugs to lower the required dose. Melatonin is effective in alleviating nerve damage and inhibiting axonal degeneration. The combination of melatonin and half-dose methylprednisolone (HMP) for spinal cord injury treatment has never been reported. In this study, we established a rat model of T9 spinal cord injury by the Allen’s method and assessed the synergistic therapeutic effects of melatonin and HMP by factorial design. Our results demonstrated that melatonin could synergize with HMP to ameliorate acute SCI through PI3K-AKT1 pathway. Combining melatonin with HMP significantly reduced the standard-dose of methylprednisolone and limited its adverse reactions, representing a promising option for treating acute SCI.

Published in Frontiers in Pharmacology

ISSN: 1663-9812 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: http://journal.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology

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