Effects of melatonin in early brain injury following subarachnoid hemorrhage.
BACKGROUND
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is substantial evidence to suggest that oxidative stress is significant in the development of acute brain injury following SAH. Melatonin is a strong antioxidant that has low toxicity and easily passes through the BBB. Previous studies have shown that melatonin provides neuroprotection in other models of CNS injury.


METHODS
This experiment evaluates melatonin as a neuroprotectant against early brain injury following SAH. The endovascular perforation model of SAH was performed in male Sprague Dawley rats followed by the administration of melatonin two hours after the insult. Mortality and brain water content were assessed 24 after SAH.


RESULTS
A significant reduction in 24 h mortality was seen following treatment with 150 mg/kg of melatonin. Brain water content was evaluated in the high dose treatment group to see if a reduction in brain edema was associated with reduced mortality. High dose melatonin tended to reduce brain water content following SAH.


CONCLUSIONS
Large doses of melatonin significantly reduced mortality and brain water content in rats following SAH.
Ayer
Robert E
RE
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
Sugawara
Takashi
T
Zhang
John H
JH
D000818:Animals; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008550:Melatonin