Protective effect of triflusal and acetylsalicylic acid against arachidonic acid induced cerebrovascular occlusion in anesthetized rats.

Within 60 sec after intracarotid injection of 0.33 mg/kg arachidonic acid, a pronounced attenuation of electrocortical activity, approaching electrocerebral silence, was induced in the ipsilateral hemisphere of anesthetized and heparinized rats. This effect was a consequence of the cerebrovascular occlusion due to platelet aggregates induced by arachidonic acid. This model has been used to evaluate the protective effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and of triflusal 2 hr after a single oral dose of 50 mg/kg or after 50 mg/kg, for 5 days. Pentylenetetrazol at 10 mg/kg, i.v. exerts a stimulant effect on CNS, and was used as a positive control. ASA and triflusal exhibit a protective effect in about 35% of animals when acutely administered. After chronic treatments (5 days), the effect of triflusal (60% protection) was superior to that of ASA (27% protection) (p less than 0.01).