Tirilazad reduces brain edema after middle cerebral artery ligation in hypertensive rats

Tirilazad (3 mg/kg i.v.) or vehicle was given 10 min, 3 and 12 hours after ligation of the right middle cerebral artery in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (n = 12 in each group). Brain specific gravity was determined in 23 predetermined cortical regions covering the core and penumbra areas 24 hours after the occlusion. The specific gravity was significantly higher in tirilazad-treated rats than in controls (p < 0.0001). When individual regions of the two groups were compared, the difference was significant in 9 of the 23 samples predominantly, but not exclusively, in the penumbra zone.