Effects of Low Dose Methotrexate in Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Rat

Abstract

Background: During cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury, oxidative stress leads to excitotoxicity, blood brain barrier dysfunction and inflammation. This study was designed to evaluate possible protective effects of low dose methotrexate on cerebral transient ischemia reperfusion injury in rat. Methods: Except CONTROL group, temporary aneurysm clips were performed to both common carotid arteries of rats for duration of 30 minutes. Four hours later, except CONTROL and SHAM groups, methotrexate (1.25 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally. Seventy two hours later, animals of CONTROL, MTX-A and SHAM-A group; and ten days later animals of MTX-C and SHAM-C group were sacrificed and hippocampal pyknotic neuronal cell count results and tissue lipid peroxidation (LPO) values were analyzed statistically. Results: Pyknotic cell count values of CONTROL group were lower than SHAM-A, SHAM-C, MTX-A and MTX-C group values. Cell count values of SHAM-A and MTX-A group were higher than SHAM-C and MTX-C values, respectively. LPO values of CONTROL group were lower than SHAM-A and MTX-A values, but not different from MTX-C and SHAM-C values. LPO values of MTX-A group higher than MTX-C group values. Conclusion: Cell count values and LPO values demonstrated that low dose methotrexate could not prevent neuronal cells from destructive effects of transient ischemia reperfusion injury in rat.