[Experimental studies on the mechanism of spinal cord ischemia--the state of free radical scavengers].

I have developed the new procedure for the preparation of experimental ischemic spinal cord from dog. Using this preparation, I have measured the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. The ischemic spinal cords, monitored by the evoked spinal cord potential, were obtained after clamping bilateral subclavian arteries and aorta distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. Total SOD activity of the normal spinal cord was one ninth lower than that of the brain. But its catalase activity was eight times higher. Total SOD, Mn-SOD, and glutathione peroxidase activities of my experimental ischemic spinal cord didn't change as compared with those of the normal ones. The catalase activity was decreased after spinal cord ischemia. These results indicate that the catalase plays the main of protection against peroxidative damage in the spinal cord induced by reperfusion, Ca++-dependent protease system may be involved in the decrease for catalase activity in addition to the high turnover rate of this enzyme. In summary, ischemic injury of spinal cord could be induced from the active oxygen species as well as disorder of Ca++ in the tissue.