Effect of amiloride and emopamil on intracranial pressure

The authors sought to determine whether amiloride or emopamil could reduce intracranial pressure in experimental brain edema of the rat. For this purpose the rats functionally nephrectomized and brain edema of the cytotoxic type induced by infusion of 100 ml aqua bidest/kg body weight. After the end of the infusion 10 or 20 ml mM amiloride/kg body weight or 50 microliters mM (s)-emopamil/kg body weight in 10 ml 150 mM NaCl/kg body weight or 10 ml isotonic saline/kg body weight were injected followed by continued recording of intracranial pressure (ICP) and systemic arterial pressure for at least 3 hours. The values of the ICP for the amiloride and s-emopamil treated animals are significantly (p < 0.05, Student's t-test for unpaired data) lower at any point after the injection of amiloride or (s)-emopamil. Amiloride and (s)-emopamil prevent the rise in ICP seen after the saline injection in the control group.