[Effect of hypertonic saline solution on delayed neuronal death].

Abstract

This experiment was performed to investigate whether hypertonic saline has a preventive effect on delayed neuronal death in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus. Twenty gerbils were used, and after being anesthetized by inhalation of 1% halothane, both common carotid arteries were occluded for 2.5 min. The animals were injected intravenously with 2 ml/kg of 10% NaCl immediately after reperfusion, and 2 ml/kg of physiological saline solution was used in the same manner in a control group. Five days later, histopathological changes in the CA1 subfield were observed by staining with hematoxylin-eosin and examining sections of the brain under a light microscope. Degenerative or necrotic pyramidal cells exhibited cell shrinkage, nuclear pyknosis, dark staining of the cytoplasm vacuolation and disappearance of the radial striated zone. The pyramidal cell degeneration rate in a 1 mm length of CA1 subfield was 95.6 +/- 1.6% in the ischemia-reperfusion-saline group and 7.1 +/- 3.0% in ischemia-reperfusion-hypertonic saline group, and the difference was statistically significant. This study verified that hypertonic saline prevented delayed neuronal death in the CA1 subfield of hippocampal area after ischemia-reperfusion.