Turkish Neurosurgery 2010 , Vol 20 , Num 1
Efects of Melatonin and Octreotide on Peridural Fibrosis in an Animal Model of Laminectomy
Fatih Serhat EROL1, Ahmet KAVAKLI2, Necip ILHAN3, Ibrahim Hanifi OZERCAN4, Mustafa SARSILMAZ5
1Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Elazığ, Turkey
2,5Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Elazığ, Turkey
3Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Elazığ, Turkey
4Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Elazığ, Turkey
AIM: To investigate the effects of melatonin and octreotide in the prevention of peridural fibrosis in an experimental rat model.

MATERIAL and METHODS: A total of 36 rats were divided into three groups: Group I was laminectomized and not given any treatment. Group II received an intraperitoneal 30 μg/kg/day dose of octreotide for six weeks after the laminectomy. Group III rats were injected with melatonin 7.5 mg/kg/day for six weeks after the laminectomy. At the end of six weeks, plasma transforming growth factor beta-1 levels and peridural fibrous tissue hydroxyproline concentrations were determined and histopathological examinations was performed.

RESULTS: Serum TGF-ß1 levels of the octreotide and melatonin groups were found to be lower than the control group. The lower levels of TGF-ß1 was statistically significant in both of the groups. Hydroxyproline levels of the octreotide and melatonin groups were found to be lower than that of the control group. The decrease was statistically significant only in the melatonin group. Peridural fibrosis scores of the octreotide and melatonin groups were lower than the control group. This histopathological improvement was statistically significant only in the melatonin group.

CONCLUSION: Melatonin and octreotide prevented TGF-ß1 increase in peridural fibrosis, but only melatonin significantly improved hyroxyproline levels and fibrosis scores as demonstrated. Keywords : Melatonin, Octreotide, Peridural fibrosis, Transforming growth factor, Hydroxyproline

Corresponding author : Fatih Serhat Erol, fserol@yahoo.com