Pre-treatment with melatonin reduces volume of cerebral infarction in a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model in the rat

Neurosci Lett. 2002 Feb 1;318(3):141-4. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(01)02503-4.

Abstract

We investigated whether pre-treatment with melatonin, a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant, would protect against permanent focal cerebral ischemia without reperfusion in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. A single dose of melatonin at 5, 15, or 50 mg/kg or the vehicle alone was given via an intraperitoneal injection at 0.5 h before permanent MCAO. Relative infarction volumes on day 3 were significantly reduced in the groups treated with melatonin at 5 (mean+/-SEM, 17.0+/-6.5%), 15 (18.1+/-5.8%), or 50 (20.6+/-5.0%) mg/kg when compared with the vehicle-treated group (37.1+/-2.8%) and so melatonin treatment achieved a relative reduction in infarct volume by 54.2, 51.2 and 44.5%, respectively. Melatonin did not affect the hemodynamic parameters. Thus, pre-treatment with melatonin at a dose between 5 and 50 mg/kg protects against focal cerebral ischemia without reperfusion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Blood Pressure / physiology
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Cerebral Infarction / drug therapy*
  • Cerebral Infarction / pathology
  • Cerebral Infarction / physiopathology
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / drug effects
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology*
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / drug therapy*
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / pathology
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / physiopathology
  • Laser-Doppler Flowmetry
  • Male
  • Melatonin / pharmacology*
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Melatonin