Effects of stobadine on survival, histopathologic outcome and acid-base status after global brain ischemia in dogs.

Present study is designed to examine an effect of Stobadine, a new cell-protective agent with antiarrhythmic properties, on survival, electron microscopic changes in microvasculatory bed of selected brain areas and acid-base parameters of arterial blood after global brain ischemia and reperfusion. Forty dogs (weighting 6 to 15 kg) were anesthetized using pentobarbital i.v. (5%, 35 mg/kg). An intubation and controlled ventilation was performed. One catheter was placed into v. femoralis (for drug administration), another to a. femoralis (for blood samples) and third one into the left common carotid artery (continuous brain blood feeding pressure measurement). Each dog underwent an surgical obstruction of principal brain-supplying arteries and immediate administration of hypotensive agent (Arfonad, 0.062%) resulting in 7 minutes lasting global brain ischemia (brain feeding pressure 1.0-1.5 kPa). If survived, animals were killed at one (perfusion-fixed for electron microscopy) or three days after ischemia. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated at 24 hour of recirculation (control and S2 groups only). Vehicle or 1, 2 or 5 mg/kg of Stobadine (group S1, S2, S5 resp.) i.v. was given 30 minutes prior to ischemia. Significantly longer survival was observed in group S2 (8 of 11 until 72 hour) as compared to control group (none of 7, p < 0.005 by Student's t-test). The ultrastructural changes of blood-brain barrier structures were none or minimal in S2 (single damage type), but in control group three major types of capillary damages has appeared at 24 hour after insult. They include intravascular coagulopathy (type I), no-reflow (type II) phenomenon with astrocyte edema, and capillary necrosis (type III) finally. Stobadine pretreated animals experienced hypercapnia, elevated arterial O2 and slight deeper acidemia (depending on dosage) as compared to control group. Respiratory compensation of metabolic acidosis was present in control group, but lacking in all stobadine pretreated animals. Stobadine at 2 mg/kg improves survival (Student p < 0.005, Mantel-Cox p < 0.05, Fischer p = 0.004). Stobadine has a protective effect on neurons and structures of blood-brain barrier (endothel, astrocytes, basement membrane) seen in electron microscope.