Abstract

The influence of terpene lactones on the lipid peroxide product, malcndialdehyde, glutathione and catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase activities in rat brain as well as lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities in rat blood serum after occlusion of middle cerebral artery following reperfusion was investigated. Experimental model of the reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion without craniectomy of rat focal cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion was used. Compared to sham-operated animals, rats subjected ischaemia followed reperfusion exhibited severe neurologic deficits, ischaemia followed reperfusion increased blood serum lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities as well as brain glutathione peroxidase activity and decreased superoxide dismutase activity as well as glutathione and malondialdehyde content. Administration of terpene lactones (4,8,16 mg/kg, i.p.x2) at 15 min and 6 h after induction of just ischaemia could improve the movement function and normalize the lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities of the rat serum. Terpene lactones were also able to increase catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, ameliorate the abnormal increment of glutathione peroxidase activity but did not change glutathione content. Significant decrement of malondialdehyde content in cortex and striatum was also observed when terpene lactones were administrated. These results suggested that terpene lactones could affect the process of oxidative damage. This perhaps was related to the beneficial role in the protection against ischaemia-reperfusion injury.