Cocaine-induced cerebral vascular damage can be ameliorated by Mg2+ in rat brain

Cocaine HCl (10 micrograms/ml) delivered perivascularly to the surface of the rat brain resulted in rapid contraction of pial arterioles, which reduced the diameters by 26% compared to controls. This was followed by venular vasospasm and rupture of postcapillary venules and micro-hemorrhages at postcapillary sites. Administration of Mg aspartate HCl, by intraarterial or intravenous infusion (1, 10 and 20 mumol/min), before or after the cocaine, produced dose-dependent inhibition (20-85%) of the cocaine-induced arteriolar spasms and prevention and attenuation of the venular vasculotoxicity and hemorrhaging. These data suggest that magnesium salts might be useful agents in the treatment of cocaine-induced intoxication and prevention of brain damage.