Pharmacological, morphological and behavioral analysis of motor impairment in experimentally vitamin C deficient guinea pigs.

The scurvy shows an inflammatory disease and gingival bleeding. Nevertheless, in an animal model for guinea pigs, described by Den Hartog Jager in 1985, scurvy was associated with a motor neuron disease with demyelinization of the pyramidal tract, provoking neurogenic atrophy of muscles. Aiming at searching the protective role of vitamin C in nervous system, a pharmacological, morphological and behavioral study was conducted. Three experimental groups were used: A100, animals receiving 100 mg/ vitamin C/ day; A5.0, animals receiving 5.0 mg/vitamin C/ day; and A0, animals without vitamin C. We analyzed the weight gain, muscular diameter and behavioral tests. In all tests examined, we found significant differences between the supplemented groups in comparison with scorbutic group (p<0.05). Thereafter, the animals were killed for histopathology of gastrocnemius muscle, spinal cord and tooth tissues. In addition, a morphometric study of periodontal thickness and alpha-motor neuron cell body diameter were done. The vitamin C-diet free regimen seemed to induce a disruption in spinal cord morphology, involving the lower motor neuron, as confirmed by a significant reduction in neuron perycaria diameter and muscular atrophy, complicated by increased nutritional deficit.