[Dimephosphon restores functions of the injured spinal cord]

In clinical practice, dimephosphon is used as a vasoactive agent in cases of traumatic brain injury. We have studied the influence of dimephosphon on the functional recovery of dog spinal cord after lesion. The spinal cord trauma was modeled using the methods described by Allen. In a period of time from the 1st to 10th day after injury, experimental group of animals was treated intravenously with 2.5% dimephosphon solution (18.75 mg/kg).The recovery of conduction in descending spinal nerves was studied using the transcranial magnetic stimulation technique on the Neurotest complex comprising a transcranial magnetic stimulator and a computer analyzer. The state of sacrolumbar motoneurons was determined by the method of stimulation electromyography that allows both H-reflex and M-wave responses to be recorded. The status of experimental animals, their locomotor activity and pain sensation were evaluated using standard clinical assessment. Morphological analysis performed with paraffin sections (hematoxylin-eosin staining) demonstrated that dimephosphon decreased the initiation of apoptosis and necrosis and supported the recovery of injured parts of spinal cord. Thus, the results revealed a beneficial effect of dimephosphon administration on the functional recovery of injured spinal cord.