Protective effect of a novel imidazole derivative against cerebral anoxia

The protective effect of 1-[2-(2-chlorobenzoyl)-4-nitrophenyl]-2-(diethylaminomethyl) imidazole fumarate (Y-9179) against cerebral anoxia was investigated with a variety of experimental models in mice and rats. Y-9179, at doses lower than 1 mg/kg, showed a consistent protective action against the cerebral anoxia in all of the models studied: hypoxia, ischemia, histotoxic and asphyxic anoxia. The antianoxic activity of Y-9179 was found to be about 100 times greater than that of pentobarbital. This anti-anoxic effect was observed at very small doses at which neither sedation nor motor depression was induced. There was no decrease in the protective effect or no adverse effect even at as high a dose as 30 mg/kg, which corresponded to about 150 times the effective dose. The universal anti-anoxic properties of Y-9179 may be useful both clinically and as a pharmacological tool to elucidate the physiological significance of cerebral anoxia.