Perinatal cerebral asphyxia: pharmacological intervention.
Perinatal asphyxia is associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy and significant mortality. We investigated the use of flunarizine, a calcium antagonist and MK-801, an excitatory amino acid antagonist, in preventing the sequelae of severe hypoxic/ischemic insults. Flunarizine was neuroprotective in the infant rat subjected to unilateral carotid ligation and 2 h of hypoxia. Preliminary analysis of experiments in a novel model of cerebral ischemia in the fetal sheep suggests that prophylactic treatment with flunarizine greatly modified the outcome after 30 min of total ischemia. Treatment with MK-801 prevented post-ischemic seizures. The background to these developments is outlined and future prospects considered.
Gunn
A J
AJ
Department of Paediatrics, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Williams
C E
CE
Bennet
L
L
Cook
C J
CJ
Gluckman
P D
PD
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005444:Flunarizine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000517:prevention & control; D012756:Sheep
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D005444:Flunarizine