Neuroprotective Effect of Telmisartan in Brain Ischemic Reperfusion Injury in Male Rats

Abstract

Hasan Adnan Hashim Alblesh, Ahmed Rahmah Abu Raghif

Background: cerebral ischemia is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality over the world. Limitation of blood supply to the brain tissue by thrombi result in ischemic stroke which disrupt cellular homeostasis due to diminished oxygen and nutrient supply to the brain.
However, the restoration of blood flow to the area affected by ischemia can cause more worsening to the ischemic tissue due to a group of inflammatory and apoptotic event that result with ischemia – reperfusion injury and cause neuronal cell death and neurological dysfunction.
Aims: To study the neuroprotective effects of Telmisartan in focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats,
Material and methods: forty male Wister albino rats were divided randomly into four groups as flow:
Group (1) Healthy group: the rats were subjected to the same surgical procedure as other groups but the common carotid artery was not occluded
Group (2) Control group :(ischemic-reperfused) this group will be subjected to the same surgical procedure with the unilateral common carotid artery occluded for 30 minutes.
Group (3) Telmisartan pre ischemia group: the rats orally administered (3mg/kg) for 7 days before carotid artery occlusion.
Group (4): Telmisartan post ischemia group: the rats orally administered (3mg/kg) for 7 days after carotid artery occlusion.
Results: in comparison with healthy group, the control group show significant increase in inflammatory mediator (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α). Telmisartan pre and post ischemia was significantly reducing the cerebral level of (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) in comparsion with control group.
Also, the histopathological analysis revealed that each of Telmisartan pre and post ischemia reduce the severity of brain injury and damage in comparison to the control group.
Conclusions: the results of the present study showed that the use of Telmisartan in pre and post ischemia confer neuroprotection in focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury due to their anti-inflammatory anti-apoptotic effect.