Combination of fasudil and celecoxib promotes the recovery of injured spinal cord in rats better than celecoxib or fasudil alone

Neural Regeneration Research, 2015 · DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.170314 · Published: November 1, 2015

Spinal Cord Injury Pharmacology Regenerative Medicine

Simple Explanation

This study explores how combining two drugs, fasudil and celecoxib, can help rats recover from spinal cord injuries. Fasudil targets a protein called ROCK, while celecoxib reduces inflammation by targeting COX-2. The research found that using both drugs together improved spinal cord healing and motor function better than using either drug alone. This suggests a synergistic effect where the combination is more effective than the individual components. The scientists believe this combination works because reducing inflammation (COX-2) enhances the effectiveness of fasudil (ROCK inhibitor) in promoting nerve regeneration after a spinal cord injury.

Study Duration

4 weeks

Participants

40 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The combined use of celecoxib and fasudil significantly decreased COX-2 and Rho kinase II expression surrounding the lesion site in rats with spinal cord injury.
2
The drug combination improved the pathomorphology of the injured spinal cord.
3
The combined treatment promoted the recovery of motor function better than celecoxib or fasudil alone.

Research Summary

This study investigates the potential synergistic effect of combining fasudil (a ROCK inhibitor) and celecoxib (a COX-2 inhibitor) on spinal cord injury recovery in rats. The results demonstrate that the combined administration of fasudil and celecoxib leads to improved locomotor behavior, reduced pathological changes, and decreased expression of COX-2 and ROCK II in injured spinal cord tissues. The study concludes that the combined use of fasudil and celecoxib synergistically enhances functional recovery in spinal cord injury in rats, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy.

Practical Implications

Potential Therapeutic Strategy

The combined use of fasudil and celecoxib may offer a more effective treatment approach for spinal cord injuries compared to using either drug alone.

Understanding Resistance Mechanisms

The study highlights the importance of addressing COX-2 upregulation in the context of ROCK inhibitor therapy to overcome resistance and enhance treatment efficacy.

Clinical Application

The findings support further investigation into the clinical application of combining ROCK and COX-2 inhibitors for spinal cord injury treatment in humans.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly translatable to humans.
2
The different routes of drug delivery (intramuscular vs. oral) could introduce some interference in the therapeutic effect.
3
It was difficult to distinguish between the contributions of inflammation and prolonged ROCK inhibitor use to COX-2 over-expression in the animal model.

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