Adult male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into sham group, experimental group and SA group. All rabbits except the sham group were exposed to the detonation, produced by the blast tube containing 0.7 g cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, with the mean peak overpressure of 50.4 MP focused on the dorsal surface of T9–T10 level. After evaluation of the neurologic function, spinal cord of the rabbits was removed at 8 h, 1, 3, 7,14 or 30 days and the H&E staining, EM examination, DNA gel electrophoresis and TUNEL were progressively performed.
The study demonstrated the occurrence of both necrosis and apoptosis at the lesion site. Moreover, the SA therapy could not only improve the neurologic outcomes (P < 0.05) but also reduce the loss of motoneuron and TUNEL-positive rate (P < 0.05).
In the rabbit model of explosive blast injury to the spinal cord, the coexistent apoptotic and necrotic changes in cells was confirmed and the SA had neuroprotective effects to the blast injury of the spinal cord in rabbits. This is the first report in which the histological characteristics and drug treatment of the blast injury to the spinal cord is demonstrated.