Cerebro-circulatory effects of so-called 'vasodilators' in the anaesthetised rat

The cerebro-vascular effects of various agents used in the treatment of cerebral disorders (dihydroergotoxine, ifenprodil, naftidrofuryl, nicardipine, nicergoline, papaverine and vincamine) were studied in the anaesthetised rat. The agents effected an increase in global cerebral blood flow, each to a different magnitude, in a dose-related manner. The changes in flow induced in the normal brain are unlikely to be of much relevance to the use of these compounds in the treatment of focal cerebral ischaemia.