Effect of Calcium Channel Blocker Nicardipine on Brain Edema in Rats

The aim of the present study was to examine the therapeutic effect of nicardipine on diffuse brain injury. Male Wistar adult rats were subjected to a diffuse brain injury. Nicardipine, as a calcium channel blocker was injected intravenously 15 min following induction of injury at doses of 10 or 20 μg kg-1. Quantitative measurements of water content, as index of brain edema and Evans Blue (EB) content as index of blood brain barrier permeability were determined using standard procedures. The histological examination was done by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the percent of water content between nicardipine treated, trauma alone and trauma + vehicle groups. The content of EB was significantly lower in nicardipine-treated groups in comparison with trauma and trauma + vehicle groups. There was no difference between nicardipine and other groups in histological verification. The present data indicated that nicardipine could have a protective effect on vascular permeability after brain injury. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.