Alleviation of brain edema by L-arginine following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in a rat model.
Decreased levels of nitric oxide play a role in the development of cerebral ischemia secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The protective effect of L-arginine on brain edema following SAH was investigated in this study. Rats were divided randomly into a sham-operated, a SAH+saline group and a SAH+L-arginine group. At different time points, brain water content was determined using the wet and dry weight compared method. Brain sodium content, potassium content and calcium content were detected using an atomic absorption spectral photometer. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) were also detected. It was found that rat SAH models were successfully replicated. In the SAH+saline group, brain water and sodium content were significantly higher at 6 h and 24 h than those in the sham-operated group, while brain potassium content was statistically lower than that in the sham-operated group. Brain calcium content increased from 1 h to 24 h after induction of SAH. SEP latency progressively delayed. In the SAH+L-arginine group, increases in brain water content, sodium content and calcium content, as well as decreases in brain potassium content, were not as obvious as in the SAH+saline group. L-arginine partly prevented a delay in SEP latency. In conclusion, L-arginine, a substrate of nitric oxide synthesis, may relieve brain edema in rats with experimental SAH.
Yang
Ming-Feng
MF
Institute of Microcirculation, Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical College, Taian, Shandong 271000, China.
Sun
Bao-Liang
BL
Xia
Zuo-Li
ZL
Zhu
Liang-Zhen
LZ
Qiu
Ping-Ming
PM
Zhang
Su-Ming
SM
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium