Cardiac arrest induces decrease of nitric oxide synthase activity and increase of free radical generation in rat brain regions.

Rats were subjected to 15 min cardiac arrest and sacrificed 1 h or 15-20 days after resuscitation. Homogenates of brain regions were assayed for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity (by measuring the mononitrosyl iron complex of NO with diethyl dithiocarbamate and endogenous brain Fe2+ using electron spin resonance spectroscopy) and generation of free radicals (FRG; by measuring H2O2-induced, luminol-dependent chemiluminescence). Cardiac arrest induced marked decrease of NOS activity and the increase of FRG, most prominent in cerebellum and less marked in cerebral cortex. Two groups of rats were revealed 15-20 days after cardiac arrest: with NOS activity significantly lower than control and not different from control. Positive linear inter-regional cross-correlations of both NOS activity and FRG (except of the group 1 h after resuscitation) as well as negative correlations between NOS and FRG were demonstrated.