PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF VITAMIN-E IN A RAT MODEL OF FOCAL CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA

Under certain pathological conditions such as cerebral ischemia and re perfusion the occurrence of free radicals is remarkably increased. How ever, only very little information is available on their quantitative relevance for the pathophysiology and final outcome of diseases. The a im of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of oxygen rad icals in the pathogenesis of a stroke. For this purpose a rat model fo r stroke was used. Two of three vitamin E deficient groups were replet ed with different dosages of DL-alpha-tocopherylacetate. No signs of v itamin E deficiency could be observed. However, the weight gain during repletion was increased in the vitamin E repleted groups. Brain infar ction was created by occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MC AO) for two hours. After 24 hours the measurements of infarct volumes were taken. The infarct volume of the group with the highest repletion dosage was significantly reduced by 81%. This was also expressed in a higher rate of gait disturbances after MCAO of the deficient animals. The control of vitamin E status exhibited a similar repletion-depende nt level in plasma and brain. These results strongly support the hypot hesis that the generation of oxygen radicals occurring during reperfus ion is an important aspect of the pathophysiological mechanism in brai n infarction.