Neuroprotective effects of combined nimodipine with cyclophos phamide and superoxide dismutase on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats

Objective To investigate the effects of combination therapy of nimodipine,cyclophosphamide and superoxide dismutase on reperfusion injury after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.Methods Ninety-three adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: single-drug treatment group(A,B,C group),two-drug treatment group(D,E,F group),triple drug treatment group(G group) and the control group(H group).A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) was induced by the intraluminal suture method.Reperfusion was performed 4 h after cerebral ischemia.At 20 minuters before and 12 h,36 h after reperfusion,the medications(nimodipine,cyclophosphamide and superoxide dismutase were dissolved in 1.5 ml isotonic saline) were injected slowly into the tail veins of rats.The survival rate of rats was calculated.Neurological deficit score and the volume of cerebral infarction were measured 48 h after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.Results Compared with the control group,the groups of combined medicines increased in survival rate and decreased in neurological deficits and the volumes of cerebral infarction(P0.01 or P0.05).Conclusions The neuroprotective effects of combination of nimodipine with cyclophosphamide and superoxide dismutase on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats were better than that of other medicines.