Cerebroprotective effect of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, 1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl) imidazole and 7-nitro indazole, after transient focal cerebral ischemia in the rat

The novel neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, 1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)imidazole (TRIM) and 7-nitro indazole (7-NI), were used to investigate the role of nitric oxide in a model of transient focal cerebral ischemia in vivo. In halothane-anesthetized rats, the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded for 2 hours using an intravascular thread and then reperfused for 22 hours before histologic evaluation. TRIM (10, 20, or 50 mg/kg), 7-NI (60 mg/kg), TRIM (50 mg/kg) plus L-arginine (300 mg/kg), or L-arginine (300 mg/kg) alone was administered intraperitoneally, either at 5 or 90 minutes after MCA occlusion. Immediate administration (5 minutes after MCA occlusion) of TRIM produced a dose-related reduction in lesion size, which was reversed with L-arginine coadministration. Similarly, delayed administration of TRIM (90 minutes after MCA occlusion, 50 mg/kg) decreased total lesion volume by 48.3% +/- 13.0% in comparison to a reduction of 39.3% +/- 10.9% when TRIM (50 mg/kg) was administered immediately (5 minutes) after occlusion. 7-NI (60 mg/kg) reduced the total lesion volume by 38.5% +/- 13.7% when administered immediately (5 minutes) after MCA occlusion, but had no effect when administration was delayed (90 minutes). Neither TRIM (50 mg/kg) nor 7-NI (60 mg/kg), administered 5 minutes after MCA occlusion, had any significant effect on mean arterial blood pressure throughout the ischemic period or for up to 10 minutes after reperfusion. These results indicate that immediate or delayed administration of the selective neuronal NOS inhibitor TRIM reduces the lesion volume after transient MCA occlusion. In contrast, only immediate administration of 7-NI reduces lesion volume.