ABSTRACT
Aim: To research the neuroprotective effect of ticagrelor against global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Methods: Fifty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups; sham-operation, vehicle, ticagrelor of 3 doses (37.5, 75, 150 mg · kg-1, ig). The global cerebral ischemia was established with four-vessel occlusion. Apoplexy index and neurological symptoms were detected after reperfusion injury 2 h, 24 h, 48 h. HE staining and Nissl staining were applied to assess the neuronal injury after global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in CA1 region of hippocampus. Platelet aggregation induced by ADP in rats was measured with turbidimetric method. Four items of coagulation were detected by automatic coagulation analyzer. Results: Compared with vehicle, the low, medium and high doses of ticagrelor reduced the apoplexy index at 24h (P <0. 05), 48 h(P < 0. 01), and significantly reduced the neurological symptom at 48 h (P < 0. 01), and could significantly reduce platelet aggregation of rats (P < 0. 01), the number of neurons in CA1 region of hippocampus was larger (P < 0. 01), and it also significantly protected the neurons in both number and morphology. Conclusions: The ticagrelor possesses neuroprotective effect against global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats, and it may be as a drug of neuroprotective agent in further study.