The competitive NMDA antagonist MDL-100,453 reduces infarct size after experimental stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist MDL-100,453 was used to determine whether a neuroprotective effect is demonstrable when the drug is administered beginning 30 minutes after the initiation of focal ischemia and whether the effect is related to blood levels of the drug. METHODS Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four intravenous treatment categories: a bolus of 100 mg/kg MDL-100,453 followed by a saline infusion for 24 hours, isotonic saline as a bolus and 100 mg/kg per 24 hours of MDL-100,453 as an infusion over 24 hours, active drug in the bolus and 24-hour infusion, and control treatment of an isotonic saline bolus and infusion. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by the intraluminal suture, middle cerebral artery occlusion method. The drug infusion was accomplished by an osmotic minipump implanted under the skin and attached to the jugular vein, which delivered drug or vehicle over a period of 24 hours. Infarct volume was calculated using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining after 24 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion. RESULTS Infarct volume of animals that received the MDL-100,453 bolus injection followed by MDL-100,453 infusion was significantly smaller than that of controls (P < .01). A significant effect of infusion on the reduction of extent of infarct size was also demonstrated (P = .015). Moreover, a statistically significant inverse correlation was demonstrated between the infarct volume and blood levels of MDL-100,453 at 60 minutes and 120 minutes after injection (r = -.33 and r = -.49, respectively). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated a significant neuroprotective effect of MDL-100,453 when treatment was initiated 30 minutes after ischemia began and was maintained for 24 hours.