Protective effect of pifithrin-alpha on brain ischemic reperfusion injury induced by bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion in gerbils.

Involvement of p53 has been implicated in apoptosis induced cell death in ischemic reperfusion injury. In the present study, we have investigated neuroprotective potential of pifithrin-alpha, a p53 inhibitor in bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (5 min) model of global cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils. Gerbils were treated with pifithrin-alpha 3 mg/kg, ip. 30 min prior to occlusion. There was a significant increase in neurological symptoms and locomotor activity in ischemic animals as compared with the sham-operated animals. Increase in neurological symptoms and locomotor activity was attenuated by pifithrin-alpha 3 mg/ kg, ip. Significant increase in the number of the surviving neurons in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal region was observed in ischemic animals treated with pifithrin-alpha 3 mg/kg, ip. This study demonstrates the neuroprotective effect of pifithrin-alpha in global cerebral ischemia in gerbils.