Effects of cerestat and NBQX on functional and morphological outcomes in rat focal cerebral ischemia.
This study investigated the ability of NBQX, an AMPA receptor antagonist, and cerestat, a NMDA receptor antagonist, to counteract neurological deficits and morphological damage induced by permanent occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery (MCAO model) in the rat. NBQX (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg, ip) injected at 10, 60, and 120 min postocclusion did not reduce the volume of infarct in the MCAO model of cerebral ischemia and had marginal effects on sensory dysfunctions (vibrissae stimulation and body proprioception) and no effects on motor dysfunctions (forelimb flexion and footfault test). Conversely, cerestat (0.3, 1, and 3 mg/kg, sc) injected at 10 and 120 min postocclusion significantly reduced the ischemic volume at the dose of 1 mg/kg, and, at the same dose, significantly attenuated behavioural deficits in the body proprioception and in the forelimb flexion tests.
Pitsikas
N
N
Department of Biology, Boehringer Ingelheim Italia, S.p.A., Via Lorenzini 8, 20129, Milan, Italy. nikpit@yahoo.it
Brambilla
A
A
Besozzi
C
C
Bonali
P
P
Fodritto
F
F
Grippa
N
N
Scandroglio
A
A
Borsini
F
F
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000473:pathology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005552:Forelimb / Q000502:physiology; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011434:Proprioception / Q000187:drug effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000502:physiology
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D006146:Guanidines; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011810:Quinoxalines; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; C079779:aptiganel