A NOVEL NONPSYCHOTROPIC CANNABINOID, HU-211, IN THE TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMOCOCCAL MENINGITIS

Typical features of pneumococcal meningitis have been demonstrated in rats inoculated with Streptococcus pneumoniae. HU-211, a novel noncomp etitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist recently demonstrated to inhib it tumor necrosis factor-alpha production under various conditions, im proves recovery in some experimental models of brain injury. The prese nt study tested the efficacy of HU-211 in combination with antimicrobi al therapy in reducing brain damage in experimental pneumococcal menin gitis. S. pneumoniae-infected rats were treated with saline alone, cef triaxone alone, or with a combination of ceftriaxone and HU-211 18 h a fter inoculation of the bacteria, Brain edema and blood-brain barrier impairment 48 h after infection were significantly (P < .05) reduced i n rats treated with ceftriaxone-HU-211 compared with rats in other tre atment groups, The results suggest that HU-211 when given concomitantl y with antibiotics attenuates brain damage in the rat model of pneumoc occal meningitis.