Failure of nimodipine to prevent ischemic neuronal damage in rats.

Abstract

The efficacy of nimodipine in preventing ischemic brain injury was tested in rats subjected to a 20-minute period of high-grade forebrain ischemia by 4-vessel occlusion. Three minutes after restoration of circulation to the brain, an intravenous bolus of 5 micrograms/kg nimodipine or an equivalent amount of vehicle or saline was given, followed by continuous intravenous infusion of the respective solution at 1 microgram/kg/min for 2 hours. In a second series, a larger bolus (20 micrograms/kg of nimodipine) and longer infusion period (6 hours) were employed. Histopathology of the brain was evaluated blindly 72 hours later and graded on a conventional 3-point scale. There was no significant effect of treatment in either series. In the 6-hour series, the percent of cerebral hemispheres showing damage of Grades 2 or 3 in zone CA1 of the hippocampus and in the striatum, respectively, was 100 and 40% for the nimodipine-treated rats, 100 and 42% for rats receiving vehicle, and 75 and 25% for animals receiving saline. Thus, this study revealed no beneficial effect of nimodipine when given following a 20-minute period of severe forebrain ischemia.

• Authors: S Vibulsresth, W D Dietrich, R Busto, M D Ginsberg
• Journal: Stroke (Stroke) 1987 Jan-Feb Vol. 18 Issue 1 Pg. 210-6 ISSN: 0039-2499 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3810755 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Nimodipine

Topics

• Animals
• Brain Ischemia (drug therapy, pathology)
• Corpus Striatum (pathology)
• Hippocampus (pathology)
• Male
• Neurons (drug effects, pathology)
• Nimodipine (therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Strains