[The use of ketamine in an experimental model of generalized cerebral ischemia]

Thus far, a sufficiently effective cerebroprotective substances has not been discovered. Glutamate overproduction plays a key role in ischemic brain lesion. Ketamine is assigned to the group of commonly used clinical anesthetics, being also familiar as NMDA antagonist. Sodium fluoride-induced cerebral ischemia in mice is used as a model of circulatory ischemic lesion. As shown by the experimental data, simultaneous administration of NaF + ketamine has no effect whatsoever on the survivorship of animals, as compared to that in the control group treated with NaF alone. Beforehand treatment of mice with 150 mg/kg ketamine brings about considerable prolongation of the survival term (15 per cent of the animals survive for more than 2 hours). The inference is reached that ketamine is endowed with cerebroprotective activity largely attributable to glutamate antagonism at the level of ischemia involved neurons.