[Vitamin E decreases the neurocytotoxic action of kainic acid in a cerebellar neuron culture].

Using primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells from 4-6-day old Wistar rats we showed the protective effect of vitamin E against kainate-induced neurotoxicity. The preincubation of 7-8-day old cultures with 5 x 10(-4) M alpha-tocopherol solution significantly (on 10-20%) reduces the number of damaged granule cells. As vitamin E takes part in stabilization of membrane lipids the data presented allows us to suggest that one of the possible mechanisms of neuronal injury includes lipid oxidation of the neuronal membranes which leads to additional influx of Ca2+ and results in neuronal death.