NBPA: A cerebral ischaemic protective agent

1. NBPA is a derivative of 3-n-butylpathalide isolated from Apium granolens Linn. 2. At concentrations ranging from 6 x 10(-6) to 10(-6) mol/L, NBPA inhibite d the L-type calcium current in guinea-pig myocardial cells and cultured hu man neuroblastoma cells. 3. At 10(-6) mol/L, NBPA markedly inhibited calcium-dependent and -independ ent release of glutamate from synaptosomes. 4. The [P-31] nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum has shown that pretreatme nt with NBPA at 15 mg/kg, i.p., improved energy metabolism. 5. In situ hybridization has shown that 10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p., NBPA prior t o cerebral artery occlusion can accelerate the expression of heat shock pro tein 70 mRNA and inhibit c-fos mRNA expression. 6. It has been shown that NBPA decreases the nitric oxide content and be ni tric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the global cerebral ischaemia-reperfu sion model in rats. In addition, it has been shown that NBPA significantly inhibits the expression of inducible NOS protein.