ABSTRACT
Involvement of p53 has been implicated in apoptosis induced cell death in ischemic reperfusion injury. In the present study, we have investigated neuroprotective potential of pifithrin-alpha, a p53 inhibitor in bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (5 min) model of global cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils. Gerbils were treated with pifithrin-alpha 3 mg/kg, ip. 30 min prior to occlusion. There was a significant increase in neurological symptoms and locomotor activity in ischemic animals as compared with the sham-operated animals. Increase in neurological symptoms and locomotor activity was attenuated by pifithrin-alpha 3 mg/ kg, ip. Significant increase in the number of the surviving neurons in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal region was observed in ischemic animals treated with pifithrin-alpha 3 mg/kg, ip. This study demonstrates the neuroprotective effect of pifithrin-alpha in global cerebral ischemia in gerbils.