The preventive effect of mexiletine on cerebral ischemic injury following experimental middle cerebral artery occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies demonstrated that mexiletine has some important features in the prevention of ischemic brain injury such as sodium and calcium canal blockage and free radical occurrence. Our aim was to investigate the effects of mexiletine on ischemic brain injury.


METHODS
Experiments were performed on 30 adult male Sprague- Dawley rats (285-425 g). Left middle cerebral artery occlusion following microcraniectomy and simultaneous bilateral carotid artery occlusion were performed. Three different treatments were included in this study: (a) "naïve" control group (no drug applied; n = 10); (b) "sham surgery" control group (only saline was applied; n = 10); and a (c) "treatment group (n = 10) where mexiletine was applied. After 24 h from ischemic insult, all rats were decapitated and prepared for immunocytochemical and histopathological analyses. Cerebral infarct volumes were calculated and compared using ANOVA and a Post- Hoc Bonferroni test in each group statistically.


RESULTS
The results showed statistically significant differences between the treatment (81.98 +/- 12.58 mm?), control (121.57 +/- 11.41 mm?) and sham (116.08 +/- 12.36 mm?) groups (p < 0,0001), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Mexiletine should be considered as an alternative medication for prevention and treatment of ischemic brain injury due to its multipotent effects.
Başkent University, Neurosurgery Department, Ankara, Turkey.
Cem
C
Yilmaz
Ozkan
O
Ozger
Serdar
S
Kabatas
Tufan
T
Cansever
Aykan
A
Akar
Salih
S
Gulsen
Nur
N
Altinors
Hakan
H
Caner
D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D054086:KATP Channels / Q000819:agonists; D008297:Male; D008801:Mexiletine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D054086:KATP Channels; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D008801:Mexiletine