Effect of dilazep dihydrochloride against ischemia and reperfusion-induced disruption of blood-brain barrier in rats: a quantitative study

The effect of dilazep dihydrochloride (dilazep) against ischemia and reperfusion-induced disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB) was quantitatively investigated in Slc:Wistar strain rats using Evans blue dye as a BBB destruction indicator. The forebrain of sham-operated animal had a small amount of the dye. A treatment of 3.5-h ischemia plus 2-h reflow extravasated the dye into the brain and markedly increased the dye content as compared with that of sham group (P less than 0.01 vs. sham group). Continuous infusion (i.v.) of dilazep during cerebral ischemia dose-dependently reduced the increase of the dye content, and a significant reduction was found at 3 mg/kg/h (P less than 0.05 vs. control group). Evans blue dye extravasation after ischemia was also greatly reduced in saline-perfused brains by the treatment with dilazep. Dilazep has been reported to inhibit edema formation in cerebral ischemia model of spontaneously hypertensive rats. These results suggest that dilazep prevents the ischemic damage of BBB, which may contribute to reduction of the brain edema.