Estrogens may reduce mortality and ischemic damage caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion in the female rat

• DOI: 10.3171/jns.1997.87.5.0724
• Publication Date: 2009-06-10T18:05:04Z
• Authors: James W. Simpkins; Gopal Rajakumar; Yu-Qi Zhang; Christopher E. Si...; David Greenwald; Chun J. Yu; Nicholas Bodor; Arthur L. Day
• Keywords: Stroke

The present study was undertaken to determine if estrogens protect female rats from the neurodegenerative effects of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. were ovariectomized and 7 or 8 days later various estrogen preparations administered before after MCA Pretreatment with 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E2) a brain-targeted 17beta-E2 chemical delivery system (CDS) decreased mortality 65% in 22% 17beta-E2-treated 16% CDS-treated rats. This marked reduction accompanied by ischemic area brain 25.6+/-5.7% 9.8+/-4% 9.1+/-4.2% 17beta-E2-implanted rats, respectively. Similarly, pretreatment presumed inactive estrogen, 17alpha-estradiol, reduced 36 0% 55 81%. When 40 90 minutes occlusion, CDS ischemia 45 90% 31%, In summary, provides first evidence that exert neuroprotective an animal model suggests may be useful therapy neurons against stroke.