Edaravone, a free radical scavenger, attenuates behavioral deficits following transient forebrain ischemia by inhibiting oxidative damage in gerbils

Abstract

The present study investigates the neurological protective effects of edaravone against global brain ischemia. Gerbils were treated with edaravone (3mg/kg; i.p.) 30min before transient forebrain ischemia, which was induced by occluding the bilateral common carotid artery for 5min. The effects of edaravone were examined by measuring neuronal damage and behavioral deficits. Hexanoyl-lysine adduct (HEL) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), oxidative stress markers, were also examined to assess the anti-oxidative effects of edaravone. Edaravone treatment significantly inhibited both lipid and DNA oxidative damage 72h after ischemia, and decreased neuronal damage. Edaravone also significantly reduced the locomotor activity deficit 72h after ischemia and improved memory impairment. These findings suggest that edaravone inhibits oxidative stress and attenuates neuronal damage induced by transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils and which may contribute to improvements in behavioral deficits.