post central cord syndrome

  : Dear Doc:
  : I suffered central cord syndrome 3 years ago and continue to have permanent neurological damage with spasticity, fatigue, weakness, balance, etc.
  : I just read a post on a different bulletin board about amazing results somebody similar to me experienced with the use of superoxide dismutase, a veterinary supplement, with spinal cord injuries and swelling.  Supposedly they have been using it in Europe on humans with similar conditions and vets have been using it for years on dogs and horses with very good results.  Before I go out and buy something either useless or potentially harmful, do you have any information on this drug?  Thanks in advance for your time!
  Laura,
  What exactly is central cord syndrome and what specifically are your symptoms?  I'd also be interested in knowing what other forum you found.  Thanks. Lois email: ***@****
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Hi. Sorry about the late response.
I'd be skeptical about amazing results for any neurologic damage which has been stable for 3 years, but of course our understanding of repair of the central nervous system is open to change if there really is something which can be effective.
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a naturally occurring enzyme (found typically in white blood cells). It is involved somehow with oxidative radicals, though my memory is murky.
Enzymes are proteins. If you ingest (eat) enzymes, the same thing happens to them that happens to structural proteins (eg those found in meat, eggs, or dairy products). That is, they are broken down into constituent amino acids and by the time the nutrient enters your blood stream, there is nothing left of the original protein but the collection of amino acids.
If you rub it topically over the skin, there is no guarantee that the SOD will be active in that spot, or get absorbed into the tissue of interest. In fact, the central nervous system (CNS) has a very tight mechanical barrier (the blood brain barrier, BBB) which prevents many molecules small and large from getting in. Proteins are large molecules, so unless there is a specific transport mechanism in the BBB for this form of SOD, then it won't even get to the spinal cord from topical application.
If you inject it, your immune system may see this as a foreign material and establish an inflammatory reaction or generate antibodies. Or not. Even if injection were intravenous, the BBB would prevent availability of this SOD in the CNS.
Your central cord syndrome may have resulted from some mechanisms involving oxidative or free-radical damage. However, if it happened three years ago, you are left with the residual of damage, but not necessarily any ongoing pathologic process which could be modified (slowed down, reversed, etc).
I can see no connection between SOD and actual repair of damaged neural tissue in the spinal cord.
I don't know if it would be hazardous to try SOD. I have given you the above information so you could make an informed decision whether to try it and to realistically assess the possibility that it could work. I wish I could give you a more enthusiastic endorsement, and I certainly wouldn't mind being proved wrong if it meant a better life for you (or any of my patients).
Hope this helps. CCF MD mdf.