Failure of iron chelators to protect against cerebral infarction in hypoxia-ischemia

In this study the ability of iron chelators to attenuate hypoxic-ischemic brain damage was assessed in hyperglycemic rats that were exposed to 1% carbon monoxide and right carotid occlusion. The animals received deferoxamine (50 mg/kg), manganese-deferoxamine (50 mg/kg) or vehicle i.p. 0.5 h prior to hypoxemic-ischemic exposure and at 0.5, 3 and 24 h post-exposure; with subsequent histological examination of the brain at 7 days recovery. The area of cerebral infarction was measured at three levels using video imaging methods. The mean percentage of total hemisphere that was infarcted in the three groups was: vehicle--28.5 +/- 5.0; deferoxamine--31.7 +/- 12.1; and manganese deferoxamine--30.6 +/- 6.8 (p-n.s.). The results as obtained in this preliminary study indicate that aggressive pre- and post-treatment with iron chelators has no ability to attenuate cerebral infarction in this model.