title: Effect of nimodipine on histological alterations in basilar artery following the bilateral common carotid artery ligation (preliminary study).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The blood supply to tissues is reduced as a result of arterial occlusions. Angiogenesis, collateral circulation and reverse flow mechanisms go into operation to restore a continued adequate supply of blood. Ca++ channels undertake the major part of this function. As a result of the increasing tension on the arterial walls, vascular autonomy is affected, and ischemia and even necrosis are observed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult 100 male hybrid rabbits were used in this study. The bilateral carotid arteries were ligated at the carotid bifurcation. The rabbits were divided into 2 main groups: treatment and control, and then both groups were further divided into 5 subgroups consisting of 10 rabbits each. The rabbits were sacrificed between the first day and the end of 8 weeks for histopathological examination of the basilar artery in two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In control groups, after 24 hours of the occlusion partial swelling and minor endothelial damage were observed in histopathological sections of the basilar artery. Luminal flattening started to decrease, and expanding of the diameter continued. The increase in the diameters of the basilar artery was higher in animals treated by nimodipine, and that difference was statistically significant (P=0,000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that the intimal and medial alterations arising from the increased blood flow rate in the basilar artery might be lessened and even partially prevented by the use of nimodipine.
authors.affiliation: Dicle University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. drumitozkan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Mehmet Dumlu
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Mustafa Serdar
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kemaloglu
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Ismail Hakki
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Aydin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009553:Nimodipine