Effects of Propentofylline on Hypoxia—Hypoglycemia-Induced Calcium Accumulation in Gerbil Hippocampal Slices

The xanthine derivative propentofylline (HWA 285) has been reported to show protective effects against neuronal damage induced by cerebral ischemia. In the present study, microfluorometry was used to investigate the effect of propentofylline on the hypoxia-hypoglycemia-induced intracellular calcium accumulation in gerbil hippocampal slices. When slices were superfused with hypoxic-hypoglycemic medium that did not contain propentofylline, an acute increase in calcium accumulation was detected 75-200 s (mean latency of 123 s) after the beginning of hypoxia-hypoglycemia. When slices were superfused with hypoxic-hypoglycemic mediums that contained 10 microM, 100 microM, and 1 mM propentofylline, the latency of the acute increase in calcium accumulation was prolonged in all subregions of the hippocampus in a dose-dependent manner: mean latencies in field CA1 were 146, 168, and 197 s after hypoxia-hypoglycemia, respectively. This retardation in calcium accumulation may be involved in the mechanisms by which propentofylline diminishes ischemic injury.