title: Effect of acute administration of L-acetyl carnitine on cerebral blood flow in patients with chronic cerebral infarct.
abstract: The effect of L-acetyl carnitine (L-AC) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) was evaluated in 20 patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease, who suffered an ischaemic stroke at least 6 months before the study. All patients performed a CT scan and were investigated with xenon-133 by brain dedicated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT, Tomomatic 32, Medimatic Inc., Copenhagen). A single high dose (1.5 g) of L-acetyl carnitine was intravenously administered to 10 patients, while sodium acetate as placebo was injected to 10 other subjects. Cerebral blood flow (ml/min x 100 g) was evaluated before and 45 min after the injection. No changes were observed after placebo injection (43 +/- 12 ml/min x 100 g versus 43 +/- 10 ml/min x 100 g). CBF increased (from 42 +/- 9 ml/min x 100 g to 46 +/- 9, P less than 0.05) in both ipsilateral and contralateral hemisphere, the ischaemic area, but not in the stroke corresponding zone. It was concluded that L-acetyl carnitine at the i.v. dosage of 1.5 g acutely enhanced CBF in patients with chronic cerebral infarct.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Medica, University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Postiglione
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soricelli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cicerano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mansi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Chiara
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gallotta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schettini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvatore
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000368:Aged; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014978:Xenon
chemical_list: D014978:Xenon; D000108:Acetylcarnitine