The action of pramiracetam on consequences of hypobaric hypoxia is only moderate.
The possible protective action of pramiracetam, a pyrrolidinone nootropic drug, against hypobaric hypoxia was studied in two age groups of immature rats with implanted electrodes. Epileptic afterdischarges induced by hippocampal stimulation were used as a measure of hypoxic damage. Pramiracetam did not substantially change these afterdischarges in 12- and 18-day-old rat pups which were not exposed to hypoxia. Hypobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude of 7000 m for one hour) led to prolongation of the first afterdischarge in both age groups. Pramiracetam did not influence this prolongation in 12-day-old rats. The first afterdischarge was shortened significantly in 18-day-old animals but not to the level of rats not exposed to hypoxia. The afterdischarges elicited by repeated stimulations (four times at 10 min intervals) did not differ in pramiracetam-treated and control rats.
Maresová
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Institute of Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
Mares
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D000818:Animals; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
D018697:Nootropic Agents; D011759:Pyrrolidines; C038438:pramiracetam