title: Neuroprotection & mechanism of ethanol in stroke and traumatic brain injury therapy: new prospects for an ancient drug.
abstract: Effective efforts to screen for agents that protect against the devastating effects of stroke have not produced viable results thus far. As a result this article reviews the possible role of ethanol as a neuroprotective agent in stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Previous studies have associated ethanol consumption with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke, suggesting a neuroprotective mechanism. The translation of this clinical knowledge into basic science research with the goal of new therapy for acute stroke patients remains in its initial stages. In a recent study involving rats, we have shown that ethanol administration, in the correct dose after stroke onset, protects against ischemia-induced brain injury. The purpose of this paper is to discuss ethanol's neuroprotective properties in stroke when consumed as a preconditioning agent, in TBI with a positive blood alcohol content, and finally in stroke treatment, with the goal of using post-ischemia ethanol (PIE) therapy to ameliorate brain damage in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 550 E. Canfield Rd., Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Karam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asmaro
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yuchuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000431:Ethanol