Effects of benidipine hydrochloride on ischemia/reperfusion-induced inflammatory and oxidative brain Ýnjury in rats

Aim To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of benidipine hydrochloride on the cerebral cortex tissues in rats exposed to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Material and methods Twenty four male Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into three groups. 10 μg/kg/day,i.v. benidipine hydrochloride was given to the rats for 7 days to create the study group(BIR group,n=8), only I/R procedure was administered to the rats of the IR group(n=8) and a Sham group was created to determine the normal structure of the cerebral cortex;n=8). Transient ischemia was performed by clamping the left common carotid artery for two hours. After that reperfusion was applied for twelve hours. Cerebral infarct volumes were measured. Additionally the cerebral cortex tissue samples were analysed histopathologically and biochemically by measuring the parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione(tGSH) and cyclooxygenases(COX1-2). Results Reduction of the infarct area in the BIR group compared to IR group is noteworthy. Histopathologically neuroprotective effects of benidipine hydrochloride was seen in the cerebral cortex tissues. And the mean MDA and COX-2 values were found statistically higher in the IR group, but in the BIR group they were in the normal limits. Also the mean tGSH and COX-1 values were significiantly lower in the IR group and in the BIR group they were in the normal limits. Conclusion The results indicate that benidipine hydrochloride can play a certain protective role in the cerebral I/R injury. The protective effect of this agent may be related to the improvement on the antioxidant capacity of brain tissue and the inhibition of overproduction of inflammatory cytokines.