Premarin improves outcomes of spinal cord injury in male rats through stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis

Objective: To ascertain whether Premarin improves spinal cord injury outcomes in male rats by stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Design: Chi Mei Medical Center research laboratory. Subjects: Male Sprague-Dawley rats 240-258 g. Interventions: Anesthetized rats, after the onset of spinal cord injury, were divided into two groups and given the vehicle solution (1 mL/kg of body weight) or Premarin (1 mg/kg of body weight). Saline or Premarin solutions were administered intravenously and immediately after spinal cord injury. Measurements and main results: Premarin (an estrogen sulfate) causes attenuation of spinal cord injury-induced spinal cord infarction and hind limb locomotor dysfunction. Spinal cord injury-induced apoptosis as well as activated inflammation was also significantly Premarin-reduced. In injured spinal cord, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and production of an antiinflammatory cytokine were all Premarin therapy-promoted. Conclusions: Our results indicate that Premarin therapy may protect against spinal cord apoptosis after spinal cord injury through mechanisms stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis in male rats.