Biochemical studies of the cerebral ischemia in the rat--changes in cerebral free amino acids, catecholamines and uric acid

Changes in cerebral free amino acids, catecholamines and uric acid levels were explored for up to 7 days after cerebral ischemia in the rat. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery on the olfactory tract, under halothane anesthesia. The animals were decapitated at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 hours and 2, 3, 5, 7 days after the surgery, respectively. The brains were rapidly removed. The cerebral hemispheres were divided into right and left halves, and homogenized in sulfosalicylic acid solution. Free amino acids were analyzed by colormetric method. Cathecholamines and uric acid were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Each parameters were measured both on the ischemic and contralateral hemispheres. The time course of changes in each parameters were observed by means of the ratio, which is the value of ischemic side divided by that of contralateral side. Free amino acids Dicarboxylic group; Decreases in glutamate and increases in glutamine suggest one aspect of detoxication of ammonia within the ischemia tissue. Monocarboxylic group; GABA, glycine, alanine were increased in early ischemic state, and gradually lowered to the normal values. These suggest the impairment of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in the ischemic tissues, since these amino acids are closely related to TCA cycle. Essential amino acids, except for tryptophan, were increased until the end of study. These increases suggest the utilization of essential amino acids for protein synthesis might be disturbed in the ischemic tissues. Catecholamines and precursors; Norepinephrine and dopamine were lowered gradually. On the other hand, phenylalanine and tyrosine were increased during ischemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)