Nimodipine improves brain energy metabolism and blood rheology during ischemia and reperfusion in the gerbil brain

Abstract Whether nimodipine improves cerebral blood flow (CBF) and metabolism in cerebral ischemia remains a controversial issue. We investigated the effect of nimodipine on CBF, brain energy metabolism, using a laser-Doppler flowmeter and in vivo 31 phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance ( 31 P NMR) spectroscopy, and blood rheology during forebrain ischemia and reperfusion in gerbils. Eighty-three adult gerbils received nimodipine (1 μg/kg/min), or an equal volume of the vehicle, or saline, over 60 min prior to a transient forebrain ischemia for 60 min. We measured sequential changes in phosphocreatine (PCr) / inorganic phosphate (Pi) ratio, β-ATP/Pi ratio, and intracellular pH (pHi) during ischemia and reperfusion by 31 P NMR spectroscopy, and the measurement of whole blood viscosity (WBV) at 60 min after reperfusion. CBF was measured continuously throughout the study by a laser-Doppler flowmeter. During forebrain ischemia, PCr/Pi and β-ATP/Pi ratios were higher significantly in the nimodipine-treated group ( p p −1 ) lowered significantly in the nimodipine-treated group ( p p