Abstract
The purpose of this study was to effect of L-arginine on cerebral blood flow and cerebral peroxynitrite formation in rat with traumatic brain injury. Male wistar rats were used in this study. Traumatic brain injury was performed using fluid percussion model. After traumatic injury, rats were treated with the administration of Larginine 300mg/kg or saline. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were continuously monitored by laser Doppler methods until 2 hours after the injury. Twenteen, 24 and 72 hours after the injury, nitrotyrosine positive cells in cortex in rat were observed using immunohistochemical methods. In control, rCBF was decreased until 2hours after the injury. In L-arginine treated rats, no decrease in rCBF was observed after the injury. Number of nitrotyrosine positive cells in L-arginine treated rats was increased at 12 hours after the injury compared with those in control, and the number of the positive cells was gradually decreased with time. Number of nitrotyrosine positive cells in control rats was increased with time.
Administration of L-arginine ameliorated the decrease in rCBF in traumatic brain injury, but increased transiently the number of nitrotyrosine positive cells.
