Nitro-L-arginine augments the endothelin-1 content of cerebrospinal fluid induced by cerebral ischemia.

The effect of nitro-L-arginine (NLA), inhibitor of NO synthase, on ET-1 content in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and on the vascular system was investigated in global ischemia/reperfusion of Mongolian gerbils. The results indicate that NLA induced a prolonged (2-3-fold) increase of ET-1 concentration above that seen in the CSF of untreated animals during ischemia/reperfusion. Both the transient and prolonged rise of ET-1 content observed in the CSF coincided with the reduction in the cerebral blood flow seen in untreated and NLA-treated gerbils, respectively, at the time of reperfusion.