title: Neuronal protective effects of calcium antagonists in cerebral ischemia.
abstract: We investigated the effects of calcium antagonists against ischemic injury in vivo and against excitotoxic damage in vitro. In vivo nimodipine protected significantly the CA1 hippocampal neurons from neurodegeneration after transient global ischemia in rats without changing the local cerebral blood flow. Furnidipine reduced the area of ischemia after permanent MCA-occlusion in mice. The results in vitro using the Ca(2+)-sensitive dye fura-2 showed that nimodipine reduced in a dose-dependent manner the elevation of [Ca2+]i in hippocampal neurons induced by K(+)-stimulation. The present in vitro and in vivo data show that calcium antagonists are potent agents in protecting neurons against the deleterious consequences of an excitotoxic or ischemic insult.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Philipps-Universität, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rami
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krieglstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D009553:Nimodipine; C082391:furnidipine