title: Protective effect of melatonin upon neuropathology, striatal function, and memory ability after intracerebral hemorrhage in rats.
abstract: Since free radicals play a role in the mechanisms of brain injury after hemorrhagic stroke, the effect of melatonin (a potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenger) on outcomes was investigated after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats. ICH was induced by clostridial collagenase infusion into the right caudate putamen, and several time points and doses of melatonin were studied. Brain edema and neurological function at 24 h were unchanged in comparison with vehicle-treated groups, in spite of oxidative stress reductions. Repeated treatment with the lower dose of melatonin (5 mg/kg) given at 1 h and every 24 h thereafter for 3 days after ICH, led to normalization of striatal function and memory ability over the course of 8 weeks, and less brain atrophy 2 weeks later. These results suggest that melatonin is safe for use after ICH, reduces oxidative stress, provides brain protection, and could be used for future investigations of free radical mechanisms after cerebral hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California 92354, USA.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lekic
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Anatol
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manaenko
authors.forename: Wanqiu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ayer
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008550:Melatonin