Effects of propentofylline on hypoxia-hypoglycemia-induced calcium accumulation in gerbil hippocampal slices]

The xanthine derivative propentofylline (HWA 285) has been reported to show protective effects against neuronal damage induced by cerebral ischemia. In the present study, we investigated the effect of propentofylline on the hypoxia-hypoglycemia-induced intracellular calcium accumulation in gerbil hippocampal slices using microfluorometry. When slices were superfused with hypoxic-hypoglycemic medium that did not contain propentofylline, an acute increase in calcium accumulation was detected 75-200s (mean latency of 123s) after the start of hypoxic-hypoglycemia. When slices were superfused with hypoxic-hypoglycemic medium that contained 10 microM, 100 microM and 1mM propentofylline, the latency period before acute increase in calcium accumulation was prolonged in all subregions of the hippocampus in a dose-dependent manner: mean latencies in field CA 1 were 146, 168, and 197s after hypoxic-hypoglycemia, respectively. This retardation in calcium accumulation may be involved in the mechanisms by which propentofylline diminishes ischemic injury.