[Ultrastructural study of acute ischemia at the cerebral level. Effects of 5023 SE]

The effects of ischaemia on nervous tissue and cerebral capillary vessel ultrastructure and their prevention by Duxil were studied in rabbits. Ischaemia induced by bilateral occlusion of the carotid arteries induced minor changes in the endothelium of some capillary vessels: irregularities in the luminal surface with subsequent increase in the number of caveolae, increase in the number and size of membrane microvillosities and bullae, and retraction of the nuclei. Ischaemia acted mainly on astrocyte processes and perikarion which became shollen with altered mitochondria and complete absence of glycogen. The neurons remained normal but seemed to contain slightly more lysosomes. After administration of Duxil 10 min before ischaemia was induced, there were no endothelial changes; the astrocytes were less swollen and above all, their glycogen content was preserved; there seemed to be less lysosomes in the neurons. The effects of Duxil on cell oxygenation and oxidative metabolism may account for its protective action on endothelial, glial and neural cells.