Therapeutic effects of a combinatorial treatment of simvastatin and bone marrow stromal cells on experimental embolic stroke

In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of simvastatin administered in combination with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) following experimentally induced embolic stroke in rats. Effects on infarct volume, brain oedema and neurological deficits were examined. Focal ischaemic brain injury was induced by emblazing a preformed clot into the middle cerebral artery in rats. Animals were administered simvastatin (40 mg/kg) at 1 hr after stroke, or BMSCs (3 × 10(6)) at 24 hr after stroke or a combination of these two treatments. Rats receiving a dose of simvastatin in combination with BMSC administration demonstrated a significant reduction in neurological deficits, a significant reduction in infarct volume and a significant decrease in brain oedema. Our data show that combining simvastatin administration with BMSCs has an additive effect on improving functional outcome in this thromboembolic stroke model.