Effect of Pretreatment with Nimodipine on the Mitochondria in the Ischemic Cerebral Edema

Park, Kwan Sun; Kim, Sung Hak; Shin, Kyu Man

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic potency of the nimodipine in the acute phase of cerebral ischemic stroke. Acute focal cerebral ischemia in cats was produced by occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery(MCA) through the transorbital approach. The experimental animals were divided into 4 groups. The occlusion group was that of occlusion of MCA only. The recirculation group was that of 3 hours recirculation after acute ischemia. The treatment group was that of continuous intravenous nimodipine infusion 2 hours prior to and throughout the whole period of MCA occlusion. The combined treatment group was that of 3 hours prior to and throughout the whole period of MCA occlusion and recirculation. The sham control group was the animals with removal of orbital contents with no occlusion of MCA. Cytochrome oxidase activity(COA) and amount of lipid peroxidation(ALP) were determined. The results obtained were as follows;In the occlusion group, COA was reduced to 71.50% and ALP increased to 126.06% of the sham control value, in the recirculation group COA was reduced to 76.79% and ALP increased to 131.34% of the sham control value. In the treatment and combined treatment groups, COA were increased to 104.60% and 108.05% respectively, and ALP were decreased to 85.94% and 69.79% of the sham control values respectively. Ultrastructure of mitochondria were studied by electromiroscopy in all 5 experimental groups. The mitochondrial cristae were increased in numbers with preservation of the normal shape of mitochondria which was evident particularly in the combined treatment groups. The results are to be evaluated that nimodipine has beneficial effect in the management of acute focal ischemia of the cat model.