Arachidonic acid-induced brain ischaemia: different severity between stroke-resistant spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

A thrombo-embolic stroke model was produced by the internal carotid artery (ICA) infusion of arachidonic acid (AA). The differences in responses to AA ICA infusion were investigated in stroke-resistant spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. The SHRSR showed a higher mortality, more severe brain oedema and brain metabolic impairment, more prominent elevation of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha. Electron microscopic observation revealed more severe endothelial damage, mitochondrial swelling and perivascular oedema and earlier thrombus formation in SHRSR than in WKY rats.