Protective effect of alpha-tocopherol on ischemic neuronal damage in the gerbil hippocampus.
The effect of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) on ischemic neuronal damage was studied in the gerbil. The animals were subjected to 5 min of cerebral ischemia by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. Immediately after ischemia, alpha-tocopherol at a dose of 50 or 100 mg/kg was administered intravenously. Morphological changes in the CA1 sector of the hippocampus were evaluated after 7 days of survival. alpha-Tocopherol prevented ischemia-induced neuronal death. The average density of CA1 pyramidal neurons (cells/mm, mean +/- S.E.M.) was 252 +/- 8 (n = 8) in the sham-operated group, 50 +/- 20 (n = 8) in the ischemia group, and 140 +/- 35 (n = 8) and 182 +/- 36 (n = 8) in the groups treated with alpha-tocopherol at the doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. The results suggest that free radical scavenging action of alpha-tocopherol played an important role in preventing the neuronal death.
Hara
H
H
Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Diseases, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Kato
H
H
Kogure
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014810:Vitamin E