title: The neuroprotective efficacy of ebselen (a glutathione peroxidase mimic) on brain damage induced by transient focal cerebral ischaemia in the rat.
abstract: The neuroprotective efficacy of the hydroperoxide scavenger ebselen was assessed in a model of transient focal ischaemia that utilises the potent vasoconstrictor peptide endothelin-1 to induce temporary occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Pretreatment with ebselen (10 or 30 mg/kg p.o., 40 min pre-MCA occlusion) dose dependently reduced the volume of ischaemic damage assessed 4 h post-endothelin-1 application in the anesthetised rat. The lower dose of ebselen (10 mg/kg) resulted in a non-significant 35% reduction in the total volume of ischaemic damage compared with the vehicle control. In contrast the higher dose of ebselen (30 mg/kg) significantly reduced the volume of ischaemic damage in the cerebral hemisphere and cerebral cortex by 48% and 53%, respectively. The marked reduction in brain damage achieved with ebselen cannot be attributed to drug-induced alterations in blood pressure, body temperature or arterial blood gases since these physiological variables were closely monitored and were not significantly altered by ebselen treatment. Thus ebselen is an effective neuroprotective agent against acute focal ischaemic-reperfusion injury.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Surgical Institute, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masayasu
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Macrae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D054833:Isoindoles; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001393:Azoles; D054833:Isoindoles; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; C042986:ebselen