Investigation of the Effectiveness of Sildenafil in Rats with Experimental Spinal Cord Trauma

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Hatipoğlu İ., Arslantaş A.

Middle east research journal of Medical sciences , cilt.6, sa.3, ss.185-190, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

Background: Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) initiates a complex secondary injury cascade characterized by oxidative stress, inflammatory activation, and progressive tissue destruction. Sildenafil, a selective phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects through modulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate-mediated pathways. This study aimed to investigate the biochemical effects of sildenafil in an experimental rat model of spinal cord trauma. Methods: Twenty-eight adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to four groups (n=7 each): control, trauma, trauma + saline, and trauma + sildenafil. After T8–T10 laminectomy, spinal cord injury was induced by epidural clip compression using a 1.43 N aneurysm clip applied for 60 seconds. Sildenafil citrate was administered intraperitoneally at a single dose of 10 mg/kg immediately after trauma. At 48 hours, plasma and spinal cord tissue samples were obtained. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) levels were measured as indicators of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense. Results: Plasma MDA levels differed significantly among groups and increased markedly after trauma, whereas sildenafil treatment attenuated this increase. Tissue MDA levels were also significantly elevated in the trauma groups but were lower in the sildenafil-treated group. Tissue TAOC levels decreased after trauma and increased toward control values following sildenafil administration. In contrast, plasma TAOC levels did not differ significantly among groups. Post hoc analysis indicated that the principal differences were between the trauma and treatment groups. Conclusion: Sildenafil reduced oxidative stress-associated biochemical damage in experimental spinal cord trauma and improved tissue antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest that sildenafil may be a promising neuroprotective agent for limiting secondary injury after spinal cord trauma.