We investigated the effects of nilvadipine, a calcium antagonist, on cerebral ischemia in rats. Under halothane anesthesia, 30 rats had a 3-0 nylon suture introduced through the ex'tracranial internal carotid artery to occlude the left middle cerebral artery. Nilvadipine was dissolved in polyethylene glycol 400. Immediately following occlusion, group 1 rats (n=10) were treated subcutaneously with vehicle and group 2 and 3 rats were treated with 1.0 (n=10) add 3.2 (n = 10) nig/kg nilvadipine, respectively. Pcrfusion fixation was performed 24 hours later, and the histopathologlc outcomes were quantified. In group 1 infarct volume was 28.2 ±11.4% of the total cerebral volume; in groups 2 and 3 infarct volumes were 25.5±11.6% (NS) and 13.9±9.2% (p<0.05 different from group 1), respectively. Nilvadipine decreased ischemic neuronal injury in a dose-dependent manner and may be of use in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. 1 Thus, the inhibition of Ca 2+ entry into cells has been proposed as a therapeutic measure for cerebral ischemia, 2 " 4 and recent evidence suggests that calcium entry blockers attenuate ischemic neuronal damage through two mechanisms: dilation of cerebral vessels and prevention of excessive Ca 2+ influx into cytoplasmic and mitochondria! compartments.2 -5 ' 6 Nilvadipine (FR 34235) is a new dihydropyridine calcium entry blocker structurally related to nifedipine 7 but 5-10 times more potent against KC1-induced vasoconstriction in dog coronary and basilar artery strips.8 Previous research has shown that nilvadipine has a potent vasodilator effect similar to that of nifedipine on norepinephrine-induced constriction in the basilar artery 9 and thoracic aorta 10 of rabbits. Moreover, nilvadipine was effective in reducing ischemia in a dog model of chronic coronary artery occlusion 1 ' and may be a therapeutic agent for cerebral ischemia.
12We investigated the effects of nilvadipine on focal cerebral ischemia. In an improved rat model of uniFrom the Departments of Surgical Neurology (S.K., N.Y.) and Pathology (M.S., H.F.), Research Institute for Brain and Blood Vessels-Akita, Akita Japan.Address for correspondence: Shingo Kawamura, MD, Department of Surgical Neurology, Research Institute for Brain and Blood Vessels-Akita, 6-10, Senshu-kubota-machi, Akita 010, Japan.Received May 1, 1990; accepted September 20, 1990. lateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, we used the intraluminal suture technique 13 -14 and assessed histopathologic outcomes.
Materials and MethodsThirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-340 g were housed at 22±2°C, 50+10% humidity, and a 12-hour light/dark cycle with free access to food and water. Halothane was used to induce (4% in a mixture of 75% N 2 O and 25% O 2 ) and maintain (1%) anesthesia; 0.25 mg i.p. atropine sulfate was used for premedication. Each rat was allowed to breathe spontaneously, and rectal temperature was maintained at 37 C C with a heating pad. The tail artery was cannulated for continuous monitoring of mean arterial blood pressure, as well as f...