Cerebrolysin Inhibits Lipid Peroxidation Induced by Insulin
Hypoglycemia in the Brain and Heart of Mice
J. PATOČKOVÁ, M. KRŠIAK, P.
MARHOL1, E. TŮMOVÁ
Department of Pharmacology and 1Division of Medical
Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Cell, Third Faculty of
Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
Received June 6, 2002
Accepted August 13, 2002
Summary
As a consequence of enhanced production of oxygen free radicals,
lipid peroxidation leads to the degradation of membrane lipids
and disturbances of membrane permeability. Lipid peroxidation
increases under stress conditions such as hypoxia, ischemia or
acidosis as well as in metabolic diseases, e.g. diabetes
mellitus. We have shown that subcomatous doses of insulin (6.0
IU/kg) significantly increase thiobarbituric acid reactive
substances (TBARs), especially malondialdehyde (MDA) – the
endproduct of lipid peroxidation, in the brain and heart of
mice. In our model of insulin-induced hypoglycemia, mice were
treated with the neuroprotective, peptide-containing drug
Cerebrolysin (100 mg/kg b.w.). Animals were sacrificed by
decapitation two or three hours after the injection of tested
substance and samples were taken to determine several serum
parameters (glucose, total protein, triglycerides and lactic
acid) and TBARs in the brain and heart. Although Cerebrolysin
was not able to affect serum parameters after subcomatous
insulin injection, the drug significantly influenced lipid
peroxidation. A single injection of Cerebrolysin already
decreased TBARs levels in the brain and heart tissue. Presuming
that an increase of TBARs reflects disturbances of the cell
membrane, we have documented a promising effect of Cerebrolysin
on cell integrity.
Key
words
Hypoglycemia • Lipid peroxidation • TBARs • Cerebrolysin
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requests
J. Patočková M.D., Department of Pharmacology, Third Faculty of
Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, 100 00 Prague 10, Czech
Republic. e-mail:
Jitka.Patockova@lf3.cuni.cz
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