Simvastatin mobilizes bone marrow stromal cells migrating to injured areas and promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury in the rat

► Simvastatin treatment was given by subarachnoid injection immediately after SCI. ► Locomotive functional recovery significantly improved by simvastatin treatment. ► Bone marrow stromal cells migrated to the injured site enhanced by simvastatin. ► Simvastatin increased the expression of BDNF and VEGF in injured rats.