Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the effects of mecobalamin on the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury of spontaneously hypertensive stroke prone rats. 72 male rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, nimodipine group, high-dose mecobalamin group, middle-dose mecobalamin group and low-dose mecobalamin group (n=12). All groups were administrated intragastrically every morning once a day for 7 continuous days. The model of 2 h of focal cerebral ischemia and 24 h of reperfusion was established by blocking middle cerebral artery. Neurological deficits were graded with reference to the Longa method. Cerebral edema was determined using the wet-dry weighing method. The volume of cerebral infarction was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and the levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-8 were measured by radioimmunoassay. High and middle-dose mecobalamin significantly reduced the volume of cerebral infarction, alleviated cerebral edema and improved nerve function compared with those of the model group (p<0.05). Compared with the model group, high and middle-dose mecobalamin significantly reduced the levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-8 in cerebral tissue (p<0.05). Mecobalamin protected spontaneously hypertensive stroke prone rats from cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, which may be related to the decreased levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-8 in cerebral tissue.