[Neuroprotective effects of lipoic acid and superoxide dismutase in the rat model of cerebral ischemia].

BACKGROUND: the present study was aimed at investigation of neuroprotective effects of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in brain ischemia in rats. METHODS: two models were used to produce brain ischemia: focal ischemia (permanent left middle cerebral artery occlusion) and permanent ligation of both CCA without subsequent reperfusion. Cu/Zn-SOD at a dose 5 mg/kg, i.v. and LA at a dose of 20 mg/kg, i.p. were injected 30 minutes prior or 5 minutes after onset of ischemia. The end-points of the study were histochemically determined: infarction size, ultrastructural changes in the cerebral tissue, and survival rate. RESULTS: LA administration 30 minutes prior to ischemia dramatically reduced infarction size (p < 0.001). Injection of LA 5 minutes after beginning of ischemia did not affect the infarction size. Besides, infarction ion size was unchanged after injection of SOD 30 minutes prior to ischemia. CONCLUSION: the LA treatment regimen used in this study resulted in significant cerebral protection against ischemia. In contrast, SOD did not show any protective effects in focal and forebrain ischemia.