Protective effects of R(+) pramipexole on acute cerebral ischemia injury in rats

Objective To study the effects of R( +) pramipexole( R + PPX) on the generation of reactive oxygen species( ROS) and to investigate the protective effects of R + PPX on brain tissue after cerebral ischemia in rats and provide experimental basis for effective treatment for ischemic stroke. Methods The rat model of cerebral ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion was established by thread occlusion. Ninty rats were divided into three groups randomly: sham group,middle cerebral artery occlusion( MCAO) group and the R + PPX + MCAO group. After reperfusion for 8 h and 24 h,the volume of cerebral infarct was determined by the TTC and LOZEX-F image scanning,and the ROS positive cell number was monitored with the new fluorescent probe H2DCF-DA. Results No cerebral infarction was observed in the sham group but the cerebral infarct volume increased significantly after 8 h and 24 h reperfusion in both MCAO group and R + PPX + MCAO group( P 0. 05). After reperfusion for 8 h,the cerebral infarct volume in R + PPX + MCAO group was higher and the number of H2DCFA-DA positive cells was lower than that in MCAO group respectively( P 0. 05),while both of them were not statistical different between the two groups after reperfusion for 24 h( P 0. 05). Conclusion R + PPX intervention might reduce the cerebral infarct volume and protect the brain by decreasing the generation of ROS cells in early stage of cerebral ischemia in rats.