Summary
Polyamines have been shown to play an important role in the disturbance of the blood-brain
barrier (BBB) in a number of pathological states including ischemia. BBB disturbances
may be almost completely prevented by treating animals with the ornithine decarboxylase
(ODC) inhibitor, α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). DFMO has been also shown to prevent
N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) toxicity in tissue cultures. It has been suggested that the pathological
disturbances in polyamine metabolism observed following cerebral ischemia, particularly
the post-ischemic increase in putrescine, may contribute to the ischemic injury that
is most evident in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus.
In this study, effects of DFMO in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion were examined.
The results showed that inhibition of the polyamine system by DFMO decreased ischemic
injury volume and brain tissue water content in a dose-dependent manner, without change
in vital signs, including systemic arterial blood pressure, arterial partial oxygen
pressure, regional cerebral blood flow and body temperature.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 3,
2004
Received:
July 22,
2003
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Published by Elsevier Inc.
