flunarizine and vinpocetine

Two rheologically active and 8 vasoactive and metabolically active substances were compared in eight independent studies, some of which were randomised and double blind, on 400 patients who had suffered acute acoustic trauma. The control group was given saline. Spontaneous recovery was excluded as far as possible. The following substances were tested: Dextran 40, hydroxyethyl starch 40/0.5, naftidrofurylhydrogenoxalate, Vinpocetin, betahistine, pentoxifylline, flunaricine, Regeneresen AU 4 and 0.9% saline. All groups showed superior results to the control group in both long-term and short-term tests with respect to hearing gain and tinnitis improvement. The rheologically effective substances showed no statistically significant variations. None of the vasoactive or metabolically active substances used as adjunctive therapy improved the results achieved with rheologically effective substances alone. These results demonstrate that acute acoustic trauma can be most effectively treated by rheologically active substances; vasoactive and metabolically active substances are unnecessary. Hyperbaric oxygenation is advantageous as an adjunctive therapy.

Topics: Adult; Betahistine; Dextrans; Drug Therapy, Combination; First Aid; Flunarizine; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Humans; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives; Male; Meniere Disease; Military Personnel; Nafronyl; Pentoxifylline; Rheology; Sodium Chloride; Tinnitus; Vasodilator Agents; Vinca Alkaloids

We studied the protective effects of pentobarbital, vinpocetine, flunarizine, and ifenprodil on delayed neuronal death using Mongolian gerbils. The animals were allowed to survive for 7 days after 5 min of cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. Hippocampal cell loss was quantified histologically 7 days following ischemia. Intraperitoneal application of pentobarbital (40 mg/kg) 30 min and vinpocetine (50 and 100 mg/kg) 10 min before ischemia significantly reduced neuronal cell loss in the CA1 sector. However, the intraperitoneal administration of flunarizine (10 and 30 mg/kg) and ifenprodil (10 and 30 mg/kg) 15 min before ischemia was not protective. The results suggest that pentobarbital and vinpocetine prevent ischemic neuronal damage, but not flunarizine and ifenprodil. These findings are of interest in relation to the mechanism of delayed neuronal death.

Topics: Animals; Cell Survival; Flunarizine; Gerbillinae; Hippocampus; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Male; Neurons; Pentobarbital; Piperidines; Vinca Alkaloids

In chronic experiments on rabbits, the effect of hyperthermia growing up to 41 degrees C upon the cerebral circulation system, was studied. Cortical blood flow decreased by 20-25% due to hypercapnia and constriction of arterioles whereas the blood flow in the thalamus and hypothalamus either remained the same as initial one or increased insignificantly. The reactivity of cerebral vessels in CO2 inhalation and orthostatic load decreased along with the rise of body temperature. The signs of lesion of the hemato-encephalic barrier and an increase of the water content by 3-4% in the cortex and white matter were revealed in hyperthermia. The impedance data corroborated extracellular character of cerebral oedema. Comparative study of vasodilators euphylline, cavinton and flunaresine has revealed that the calcium blocking agent flunaresine provides the best restoration of the cerebral blood flow level and the reactivity of cerebral vessels in hyperthermia.

Topics: Aminophylline; Animals; Blood-Brain Barrier; Body Temperature; Body Water; Brain; Carbon Dioxide; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Chronic Disease; Electrodes, Implanted; Fever; Flunarizine; Posture; Rabbits; Vasodilator Agents; Vinca Alkaloids