title: Alpha-tocopherol protects against memory impairment caused by L-NAME and modulates the injury marker and blood coagulant parameters.
abstract: Cerebrovascular disease studies have shown similarity between humans and spontaneously hypertensive rats stroke-prone rats in the development of spontaneous stroke and transitory ischemic attacks (TIA). In addition, nitric oxide (NO) suppression by L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) can precipitate several vascular diseases including TIA and strokes. On the other hand, alpha-tocopherol (AT) has been associated with beneficial effects on vascular disorders. Four groups were tested to evaluate AT effects on NO inhibition: AT, control (C), AT + L-NAME, and L-NAME. During 4 weeks, all groups had their physiologic parameters evaluated and were submitted to neurological tests. After the sacrifice of the animals, total L-lactate dehydrogenase, fibrinogen levels, and platelet counts were measured. Our results demonstrated improvement in memory function and sensory-motor function of the rats treated with AT. The AT treatment also demonstrated a significant difference on the injury identifier, fibrinogen levels, and platelet count between the treated groups and the L-NAME group. In conclusion, AT reversed damaging L-NAME neurological effects and could be considered as a possible protective agent in neurological diseases.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Program, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro State (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo Borges
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Murad
authors.forename: Marcela Rodrigues Moreira
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Lucia Marques
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vianna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010976:Platelet Count; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester