• Theodoros Mavridis, Artemis Mavridi, Eleftheria Karampela, Antonis Galanos, George Gkiokas, Nicoletta Iacovidou, and Theodoros Xanthos.
• First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. theodoros.mavridis@tuh.ie.
• Neurocrit Care. 2024 Oct 1; 41 (2): 455468455-468.

BackgroundSpinal cord injury (SCI) presents a major global health challenge, with rising incidence rates and substantial disability. Although progress has been made in understanding SCI's pathophysiology and early management, there is still a lack of effective treatments to mitigate long-term consequences. This study investigates the potential of sovateltide, a selective endothelin B receptor agonist, in improving clinical outcomes in an acute SCI rat model.MethodsThirty male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sham surgery (group A) or SCI and treated with vehicle (group B) or sovateltide (group C). Clinical tests, including Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scoring, inclined plane, and allodynia testing with von Frey hair, were performed at various time points. Statistical analyses assessed treatment effects.ResultsSovateltide administration significantly improved motor function, reducing neurological deficits and enhancing locomotor recovery compared with vehicle-treated rats, starting from day 7 post injury. Additionally, the allodynic threshold improved, suggesting antinociceptive properties. Notably, the sovateltide group demonstrated sustained recovery, and even reached preinjury performance levels, whereas the vehicle group plateaued.ConclusionsThis study suggests that sovateltide may offer neuroprotective effects, enhancing neurogenesis and angiogenesis. Furthermore, it may possess anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties. Future clinical trials are needed to validate these findings, but sovateltide shows promise as a potential therapeutic strategy to improve functional outcomes in SCI. Sovateltide, an endothelin B receptor agonist, exhibits neuroprotective properties, enhancing motor recovery and ameliorating hyperalgesia in a rat SCI model. These findings could pave the way for innovative pharmacological interventions for SCI in clinical settings.© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and Neurocritical Care Society.

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