Lubeluzole following traumatic brain injury in the rat

Lubeluzole, a novel nitric oxide synthase (NOS) pathway modulator, was shown to be neuroprotective in cerebral ischemia as studied in animal models and clinical trials. The present study investigated the effect of lubeluzole on contusion volume and brain edema following traumatic brain injury. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 36) were subjected to cortical impact injury. Lubeluzole (0.8 mg/kg i.v.; n = 18) or a corresponding volume of vehicle (n = 18) was injected 15 and 75 minutes following trauma. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours following trauma. Contusion volume was measured planimetrically from coronal slices stained with hematoxylin and eosin. In this group, T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was also performed 90 minutes and 6 and 24 hours after trauma. Hemispheric swelling and water content were determined gravimetrically 24 hours after trauma. In this group, intracranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) were monitored for 30 minutes before sacrifice. Lubeluzole did not reduce contusion volume, hemispheric swelling, or water content. ICP, MABP, and the resulting CPP did not differ between treated and untreated rats 24 hours after injury. T2-weighted MRI revealed a higher volume of edema at 90 minutes after trauma in treated rats. However, at 6 and 24 hours after trauma, no significant difference was discernible. Under these experimental conditions, lubeluzole fails to exert beneficial effects following experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI).