Apocynin Attenuates Cerebral Infarction after Transient Focal Ischaemia in Rats

• Published in: Journal of international medical research 2007-07, Vol.35 (4), p.517-522
• Main Authors: Tang, LL, Ye, K, Yang, XF, Zheng, JS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetophenones - therapeutic use; Animals; Brain Chemistry; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - etiology; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - metabolism; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - pathology; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - prevention & control; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Ischemic Attack, Transient - complications; Ischemic Attack, Transient - metabolism; Ischemic Attack, Transient - pathology; Male; NADPH Oxidases - antagonists & inhibitors; NADPH Oxidases - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reperfusion Injury - etiology; Reperfusion Injury - metabolism; Reperfusion Injury - pathology; Reperfusion Injury - prevention & control; Superoxides - metabolism
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/147323000703500411

This study investigated whether inhibition of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase attenuates cerebral infarction after transient focal ischaemia in rats. Focal ischaemia (1.5 h) was produced in male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 − 280 g) by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Some rats also received treatment with 50 mg/kg apocynin, a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, by intraperitoneal injection 30 min prior to reperfusion. Two hours after reperfusion, brains were harvested to measure NADPH oxidase activity and superoxide levels. After 24 h, the remaining brains were harvested to investigate infarct size. NADPH oxidase activity and superoxide level were all augmented 2 h after reperfusion compared with controls. Apocynin treatment significantly reduced NADPH oxidase activity and superoxide levels. Cerebral infarct size was significantly smaller in the apocynin-treated group compared with those undergoing ischaemia/reperfusion alone. These results indicate that inhibition of NADPH oxidase attenuates cerebral infarction after transient focal ischaemia in rats, suggesting that inhibition of NADPH oxidase may provide a therapeutic strategy for ischaemic stroke.