Electroacupuncture and Curcumin Promote Oxidative Balance and Motor Function Recovery in Rats Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a condition that puts the patient’s life at risk in the acute phase and, during the chronic stage, results in permanent deficits in motor, sensory and autonomic functions. Isolated therapeutic strategies have not shown an effect on this condition. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and curcumin, alone or combined, on the oxidative balance, motor function recovery and amount of preserved tissue following a traumatic SCI. Long-Evans rats were divided into five groups: SHAM, SCI, SCI + EA, SCI + Curcumin, and SCI + EA + Curcumin. Nitric oxide was significantly decreased in the Curcumin group; the EA, Curcumin and SCI + EA + Curcumin groups had significantly decreased hydroxyl radical and lipid peroxidation levels. Motor function recovery and the amount of preserved spinal cord tissue were significantly greater in the EA, Curcumin and EA + Curcumin groups. The results show that EA and Curcumin treatment alone or in combination decreased oxidative stress, improved functional motor recovery and increased the amount of preserved spinal cord tissue following a traumatic injury.