The protective effect of combined administration of anti-oxidants and perfluorochemicals on cerebral ischemia.

We previously published results of investigations which indicated that the combination of mannitol, which acts as a free radical scavenger, and perfluorochemicals (PFC), which have a strong oxygen-carrying capacity, can be therapeutic in cases of brain infarction. The present experiment tested the hypothesis that the effectiveness of such treatment could be increased by an optimal combination of such scavengers and other chemicals. Fifty-two dogs were used, employing the "canine model of a completely ischemic brain regulated with the perfusion method." A total of six drugs with free radical scavenger capacities were tested: mannitol, vitamin E, vitamin C, Nizofenone (Y-9197), dexamethasone (DEXA) and suloctidil (MY-103). These drugs were administered intravenously 15 minutes prior to the production of ischemia, when cerebral blood flow was reduced to one-tenth its normal volume. After one hour, recirculation was allowed and the recovery of electrical activity of the brain observed for three hours. Judged by the degree of recovery of brain electrical activity, five drugs were considered to have protective effect against brain ischemia: mannitol, vitamin E, MY-103, DEXA and Y-9197. Among these five drugs, mannitol, vitamin E and DEXA are known to be safe and easily used clinically. The combined administration of these three drugs, together with PFC, was also investigated. It was found that the speed and degree of recovery of brain electrical activity were greater when these drugs were given together than when one was administered alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)