EFFECT OF NIZOFENONE ON EXPERIMENTAL HEAD TRAUMA IN MICE

The therapeutic effect of nizofenone, a cerebroprotective drug, on exp erimental traumatic head injury was investigated in mice. The animals under halothane anaesthesia were subjected to a severe concussive head trauma and their neurological status was assessed by a string grip-te st for 6 consecutive days. The neurological function of the control gr oups fell markedly 1 hr after trauma and slowly recovered day by day, but some animals failed to restore to the normal level, even on the 6t h day. The post-treatment of the head-injured mice with nizofenone (3 mg/kg/day, i.p.) significantly improved the neurological function. The neurological improvement by nizofenone was dose-dependent and a signi ficant amelioration was observed at 0.3 mg/kg/day. Methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg/day, i.v.) did not exert any significant neurological improv ement in this therapeutic, experimental condition. In this study, nizo fenone treatment was found to beneficially influence the recovery of t he neurological function, maybe by reducing the progress of brain inju ry following head trauma.