Experimental Study of the Neuroprotective Properties of Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Superoxide Dismutase in Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

The aim of the present work was to study the neuroprotective roles of alpha-lipoic acid and superoxide dismutase in focal and total cerebral ischemia in rats. Experiments were performed on Wistar rats ( n = 125): 1) to assess neuroprotective effects in conditions of permanent occlusion of the left middle cerebral and left common carotid arteries ( n = 26); 2) to study the effects of these agents and their combination on survival in conditions of occlusion of both carotid arteries ( n = 81). An infarct-limiting effect was seen in the group in which alpha-lipoic acid was given 30 min before ischemia ( p = 0.00004). Administration of superoxide dismutase 30 min before ischemia or alpha-lipoic acid immediately before ischemia did not decrease the size of the necrotic area. Administration of alpha-lipoic acid or the combination of alphalipoic acid and superoxide dismutase led to an increase in the animals’ survival time ( p = 0.003, p = 0.013), while use of superoxide dismutase alone produced no increase ( p = 0.127). Alpha-lipoic acid induced a neuroprotective effect in focal and total cerebral ischemia. Superoxide dismutase did not have a protective effect in ischemia.