Prostaglandin metabolism and prostacyclin in cerebral vasospasm

1. Contractions of isolated human pial arteries, induced either by exposition to hemorrhagic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral vasospasm or by exposition to noradrenaline, were markedly augmented after preincubation of the vessel segments with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin, while serotonin-induced contractions were unaffected. 2. Prostacyclin relaxed human pial arteries contracted by either PGF2 alpha, noradrenaline, serotonin or hemorrhagic CSF. The same though less marked effects were obtained with 6-keto-PGE1. 3. The results support the contention that an intact vascular prostacyclin synthesis is important for the maintenance of a normal cerebrovascular tone, and that disturbances of the prostaglandin metabolism may be a prerequisite for the development of arterial spasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Tentatively. 4. a prostacyclin deficiency may be involved in the pathogenesis of delayed cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.