Protective effect of bifemelane on c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in rat cerebral ischemia

Cytoprotection by bifemelane hydrochloride was investigated immunohistochemically in the cerebral cortex of rats during ischemia. The middle cerebral artery was occluded for 30 min and then reperfused for 6 h. c-Fos-like immunoreactive neurons were found in layers II to VI of the cerebral cortex and were especially abundant in the parietal cortex and the piriform cortex on the side of the occlusion. In sham-operated control rats, a few c-Fos-like immunoreactive neurons were seen in the ipsilateral side of the cerebral cortex. In animals that had been injected with bifemelane hydrochloride (20 mg/kg, IP) 30 min before the onset of ischemia and 90 min after reperfusion, the number of c-Fos-like immunoreactive neurons was significantly reduced in the cerebral cortex. The results suggest that bifemelane hydrochloride can inhibit the ischemia-induced increase in c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in cerebral cortex neurons.