ABSTRACT
AIM:
To observe the
neuroprotective effect of combined
treatment with
taurine and
diazepam against focal
cerebral ischemia-
reperfusion in
rats.
METHODS:
Sixty
male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups sham-operation group, vehicle group,
taurine group (200 mg/kg, ip),
diazepam group (10 mg/kg, ip) and combined
treatment group (
taurine 100 mg/kg+
diazepam 5 mg/kg). Focal
cerebral ischemia was induced by the
method of
middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in
rats, and
reperfusion was emerged by removing the thread 2 h later. The
drugs were administered respectively at the
time of
reperfusion, and subsequently repeated once 12 h later. The
animals in vehicle group were intraperitoneally injected with isodose
normal saline. The neurological deficit score, the
brain water content and
cerebral infarction were measured 48 h after MCAO. Other 5 group
animals of focal
cerebral ischemia-
reperfusion (n=16 in each group) were set up as mentioned above and accepted
treatments 10 h after
reperfusion, likewise repeated once 12 h later. Twelve
animals in each group were adopted the same management as the previous 5 groups at 48 h after MCAO. The remained 4
animals in each group were sacrificed until two weeks after MCAO to observe the histopathological changes by nissl
staining.
RESULTS:
Compared to vehicle group, the
animals in combined
treatment group at 2 h or 12 h after MCAO both decreased the neurological deficit score, reduced the
brain water content and
infarct volume (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The combined
treatment significantly alleviated the neurological
necrosis as well. The
neuroprotective effect of the combined
treatment was superior to that of using
taurine or
diazepam alone.
CONCLUSION:
These results suggest that combination of
taurine and
diazepam treatment has a coordinate
neuroprotective effect on both the acute and
chronic brain damage of focal
cerebral ischemia-
reperfusion.