Substance may help prevent spinal injury

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Substances produced by the human body may one day help prevent paralysis following a spinal cord injury, U.S. researchers said.

Dr. Samie Jaffrey, associate professor of pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College, said permanent nerve damage may be avoided by raising levels of a compound that converts to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide -- NADplus -- the active form of vitamin B-3.

The compound would potentially be administered immediately following spinal cord injury, Jaffrey said.

"Boosting NADplus after injury may prevent permanent nerve death," Jaffrey said in a statement. "Our study is aimed at synthesizing a molecule that, when given soon after injury, may augment the body's production of NADplus and rescue these cells before they are stressed beyond recovery."

NADplus is known to play a key role in human cells by activating proteins called sirtuins that help the cells survive under stress, Jaffrey said.

Sirtuins, which can be activated by compounds like resveratrol -- found in large concentrations in the skin of grapes used to make red wine and grape juice -- have been shown to possess anti-aging and healing properties. Jaffrey and colleagues said quickly increasing the NADplus levels may help to activate the sirtuin levels in the cells and prevent cell death.