Development of Effective Spin-Traps to Treat Stroke

There is a critical need for the development of effective clinical treatments for stroke, transientischemia attacks, vasospasm and related acute neuro- degenerative conditions. Our research resultshave clearly implicated free radicals in the etiology of ischemic brain damage. We have demonstratedthat certain spin-trapping compounds (STCs) including phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), offer considerableprotection to the brain from an ischemia/ reperfusion-mediated injury if the STCs are administered beforeor even after (1hr) initiating reperfusion of the ischemia-reperfusion lesioned brain. We would like tocapitalize on the commercial protocol of novel STCs for the treatment of stroke. Therefore , we willdetermine if selected novel STCs protect the gerbil brain from ischemia injury and test the STCs in theirability to protect the rat using the middle cerebral artery (permanent as well as reversible) model and inaddition establish a direct relationship between in vivo neuroprotective effects and in vitro antioxidantand radical trapping activity of selected STCs lead compounds.