1-3-dimethylthiourea and Arterial-Occlusive-Diseases

This study was undertaken to evaluate whether neurologic outcome after aortic cross-clamping in rabbits could be improved with perioperative infusion of the hydroxyl radical scavenger dimethylthiourea and, if so, to determine whether it is effective during the period of ischemia, reperfusion, or both.. In 41 New Zealand White rabbits, a snare occlusion device was placed at operation around the infrarenal aorta and tunneled into a subcutaneous position. Animals were then allowed to recover and, 48 hours later, randomized into four groups. In each group, the infrarenal aorta was occluded by tightening the snare in the awake animal. In groups 1, 2, and 3, cross-clamp time was 21 minutes. Group 1 (control) animals received saline solution, whereas group 2 (preclamp 21) received dimethylthiourea 750 mg/kg intravenously just before aortic clamping. In group 3 (prerep 21), dimethylthiourea was given just before reperfusion. Group 4 received dimethylthiourea before clamping, with cross-clamp time extended to 31 minutes. A second dose of saline solution or dimethylthiourea was given 12 hours after clamping in controls and the three treatment groups, respectively. Animals were observed for 5 days, and final neurologic recovery was graded by an independent observer. Animals were then killed, and their spinal cords were removed for histologic examination.. Complete paraplegia and marked histologic spinal cord injury at 5 days were seen in 91% (10/11) of group 1 (control) animals, whereas all animals in group 2 (preclamp 21) showed neurologic recovery (p < 0.0001). In group 3 (prerep 21), the final paraplegia rate was 50% (5 of 10), in group 4 (preclamp 31), 100% (10 of 10).. Our results suggest that hydroxyl radicals play an important role in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the spinal cord and that treatment with dimethylthiourea can prevent paraplegia after 21 minutes of aortic cross-clamping in rabbits.

Topics: Animals; Aorta; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Constriction; Free Radical Scavengers; Infusions, Intravenous; Paraplegia; Postoperative Care; Preoperative Care; Rabbits; Random Allocation; Reperfusion Injury; Spinal Cord Injuries; Thiourea; Time Factors

Free radicals have been shown to play an important role in ischemia-reperfusion injury in several organ systems; however, the role of free radicals in central nervous system ischemia has been less well studied. Many potential free radical-generating systems exist. The primary products of these reactions, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, may combine to produce hydroxyl radicals. Of the many potential sources of free radical generation, the enzyme xanthine oxidase has been shown to be important in ischemia in noncerebral tissue. We investigated the effect of the hydroxyl radical scavenger dimethylthiourea and the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol on infarct volume in a model of continuous partial ischemia. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with dimethylthiourea or allopurinol before middle cerebral artery occlusion. Infarct volume was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining of brains removed 3 or 24 hours after occlusion. Stroke volume was reduced by 30% after dimethylthiourea treatment and by 32-35% after allopurinol treatment. At 24 hours after stroke, cortical tissue was more effectively protected than caudate tissue with both agents. Pretreatment with dimethylthiourea and allopurinol also significantly reduced cerebral edema formation and improved blood-brain barrier function as measured by fluorescein uptake. Our results imply that hydroxyl radicals are important in tissue injury secondary to partial cerebral ischemia and that xanthine oxidase may be the primary source of these radicals.

Topics: Allopurinol; Animals; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Blood-Brain Barrier; Brain Chemistry; Cerebral Arteries; Cerebral Infarction; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Staining and Labeling; Stroke Volume; Thiourea; Time Factors