The effects of citicoline and lamotrigine alone and in combination following permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats.

The neuroprotective efficacies of citicoline and lamotrigine, alone and in combination, were investigated in experimental permanent focal ischemia. Seven groups of adult male rats underwent focal cerebral ischemia and were given the following treatments: placebo (P), low and high doses of citicoline (C250 and C500, 250 and 500 mg/kg/day i.p., respectively), low and high doses of lamotrigine (L50 and L100, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day p.o., respectively), and combination regimes of both drugs in low (C250 + L50) and high doses (C500 + L100). Citicoline, but not lamotrigine, exerted neuroprotective efficacy during this acute ischemic stroke model. The citicoline and lamotrigine combination did not provide a significant additive neuroprotective effect.