engleski

The effects of nicardipine on the brain free arachidonic fatty acid level and passive avoidance behavior in hypoxia-treated rats

The influence of nicardipine on the brain free arachidonic acid (FAA) level and on the learning ability in hypoxia-exposed rats was examined. The study was carried out on Hannover-Wistar rats weighing 250 g.They were injected with various doses (0.03 ; 0.1 ; 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg) of nicardipine. Thirty minutes later some animals were subjected to the period of oxygen deprivation hypoxia until the loss of the righting reflex. Fifteen minutes later they were decapitated and brains were frozen in liquid nitrogen. The level of the brain FAA was quantified by gas chromatography. The learning ability of all other animals pretreated with the calcium channel blocker used, was tested in a passive avoidance task according to the step-through procedure. These animals were exposed to the hypoxic conditions immediately after the learning trial response had been aquired. A passive avoidance retention test was performed 24 hours later. It was found that hypoxia strongly increased the brain FAA level and impaired the retention of the passive avoidance response. Nicardipine did not influence the content of the brain FAA, but significantly improved the retention deficits in the animals exposed to hypoxia.

nicardipine; free arachidonic acid; hypoxia; passive avoidance; rat

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