Key chemical in spinal injuries isolated

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Jun 21, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Purdue University researchers have discovered a naturally occurring chemical in the body that is likely responsible for paralysis in spinal cord injuries.

The chemical is called acrolein, and its role was discovered by a research team led by Prof. Riyi Shi, an associate professor of neuroscience and biomedical engineering in Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

"Because acrolein has already been implicated in cancer and neurological diseases, drugs that detoxify it could become important for treating not only spinal cord damage but a host of other conditions as well.

"Unlike most other parts of the body, spinal cord tissue does not heal after injury," Shi said. "Science has long been aware that some chemicals the damaged cells release are part of the problem, but no one has ever been sure which chemicals are responsible."

The research will appear in the still-forthcoming March 2005 issue of the scientific journal Neurochemical Research.