EFFECT OF POLICOSANOL ON CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA IN MONGOLIAN GERBILS - ROLE OF PROSTACYCLIN AND THROMBOXANE A(2)

Policosanol is a mixture of higher primary aliphatic alcohols, isolate d from sugar cane wax, whose main component is octacosanol. Policosano l (25, 50 and 200 mg/kg) administered by the oral route not only signi ficantly reduced serum thromboxane B-2 (TXB(2)) levels but also, at 20 0 mg/kg significantly increased 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) in Mongolian gerbi ls. Policosanol at 200 mg/kg significantly protected against cerebral ischemia induced by unilateral ligation of common carotid artery in Mo ngolian gerbils. In this experimental model, combined administration o f ineffective doses of policosanol (25 mg/kg) and aspirin (ASA) (30 mg /kg) significantly protected animals indicating a synergism between th em.