Effects of neopterin on ischemic neuronal damage in gerbils.
The effects of neopterin on ischemic neuronal damage were examined. Cerebral ischemia was produced in the gerbil by bilateral common carotid occlusion for 8 min or unilateral occlusion for 30 min, which resulted in delayed neuronal death in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. However, preischemic treatment with neopterin (3 mg/kg i.p.) markedly reduced hippocampal neuronal damages in both cases. Since neopterin serves both as an antioxidant and as an oxidant depending on its redox state, these findings indicate that neopterin attenuates the ischemic neuronal injury by scavenging oxygen free radicals and/or by inhibiting their generation.
Arai
T
T
Department of Anesthesia, Kyoto University Hospital, Japan.
Watanabe
K
K
Nakao
S
S
Mori
H
H
Murakawa
M
M
Mori
K
K
Tooyama
I
I
Kimura
H
H
Kojima
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001708:Biopterins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000502:physiology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019798:Neopterin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase