Effect of stobadine on lipid peroxidation and phospholipids in rabbit spinal cord after ischaemia

Stobadine, a drug with the pyridoindol structure, was compared with thiopental and pentobarbital for its ability to inhibit stimulated peroxidation in homogenates of spinal cord in vitro. The antioxidative capacity of the drug exceeded that of barbiturates more than 100-fold. Stobadine was also shown to inhibit the increase in formation of TBA-RS in homogenates of rabbit spinal cord, subjected to 20 min ischaemia, to the level comparable with controls. Administration of the drug (6 mg kg-1) to animals 5 min before 20 min ischaemia had no effect on level of lipid peroxidation products in the spinal cord; however, it slowed down stimulated Fe(2+)-dependent peroxidation after in vitro incubation of the homogenates and increased the concentration of phosphatidylserine and ethanolamine plasmalogens, as compared with non-treated animals. Application of stobadine 2 min before the release of an aortic occlusion increased the antiradical capacity in homogenates of spinal cord and revealed an ameliorating effect on the composition of phospholipids.