Remote ischemic post-conditioning reduced brain damage in experimental ischemia/reperfusion injury

OBJECTIVES: To determine the protective effects of remote post-conditioning on ischemic brain lesions caused by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in rats. METHODS: A total of 54 animals were used in this present study. An ischemic stroke model was generated by 90-minute occlusion of right MCA (n = 42). Twelve rats were used as control for studying edema and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. Remote post-conditioning was conducted immediately after MCA occlusion in the bilateral lower limb by occluding and releasing the femoral artery for three cycles; each occlusion and release lasted for 10 minutes. After 24 hours of reperfusion, the cerebral infarct volumes were quantified by 2,3,4-triphenytetrazolium-chloride, brain water content was determined by dry/wet weight method, and damage to the BBB was determined by Evans blue extravasation. RESULTS: Remote post-conditioning significantly reduced brain infarct damage (P<0.0001). Brain edema was significantly (P<0.01) reduced after stroke in the remote post-conditioning group. BBB leakage was significantly reduced in the remote post-conditioning group when compared to the control ischemic groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence that remote post-conditioning, which was initiated after ischemia and before reperfusion, protects against brain injury in experimental ischemic stroke.