Reduction of Postischemic Cerebral Infarction and Cerebral Edema by Superoxide Dismutase and Allopurinol

ABSTRACT

The authors have inverstigated the hypothesis that ischemic injury could be attenuated by xanthine oxidase inhibitor(Allopurinol) and superoxide dismutase(SOD). This study used rat MAC model. Each animal was assigned to four groups which was composed with control group, allopurinol pretreated group(50mg/kg. I.P single). SOD pretreated group(16,000 I.U/kg I.V q 15min for 4hours) and combined pretreatment group. Oxygen derived free radicals have been implicated in various pathological conditions including ischemia. Xanthine oxidase serve as a source of oxidizing agents such as superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide. The superoxide flux in normal cells appears to have necessitated the development of SOD, which scavenges the superoxide by dismutation. Infarcted area was measured by computerized morphometric analysis after triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, infarcted area was reduced in SOD treated group(p=0.005) and SOD, allopurinol combined group(P=0.035). Brain edema was measured by gravimetric method. And it was reduced in Allopurinol treated group(P=0.001) and SOD allopurinol combined group (P<0.001). Thus it was revealed that ischemic injury might be reduced by either decrease of production or increase of scavenger and the combination of two should be more efficious.