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N G ‐Nitro‐ L ‐Arginine‐Methyl‐Ester Protects against Ischaemia‐Induced Biochemical Changes and Hippocampal Neurodegeneration in the Gerbil
Author(s) -
CALDWELL MAEVE,
O'NEILL MICHAEL,
EARLEY BERNADETTE,
LEONARD B. E.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1077(199607)11:4<299::aid-hup772>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - gerbil , nitric oxide , nitric oxide synthase , hippocampus , chemistry , hippocampal formation , arginine , ischemia , endocrinology , medicine , anesthesia , pharmacology , biochemistry , amino acid
To assess the effects of the nitric oxide inhibitor N G ‐nitro‐ l ‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) on behavioural, biochemical and histological changes following global ischaemia, the Mongolian gerbil was used. Ischaemia was induced by bilateral carotid occlusion (BCO) for 5 min. N G ‐nitro‐ l ‐arginine methyl ester was administered i.p. at 10 mg/kg 30 min, 6, 24, and 48 h after surgery. Results indicated that 5 min BCO caused a large increase in home cage activity. N G ‐nitro‐ l ‐arginine methyl ester caused some attenuation in this hyperactivity. The activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was increased in the cerebellum, brain stem, striatum, cerebral cortex and hippocampus of 5‐min bilateral carotid occluded animals. N G ‐nitro‐ l ‐arginine methyl ester reversed the increase in nitric oxide synthase activity in all brain regions. Extensive neuronal death was observed in the CA 1 layer of the hippocampus in 5‐min BCO animals 96 h after surgery. N G ‐nitro‐ l ‐arginine methyl ester significantly protected against the neuronal death of cells in the CA 1 layer.