Abstract
Ampicillin, a β-lactam antibiotic, has been reported to induce astrocytic glutamate transporter-1 which plays a crucial role in protecting neurons against glutamate excitotoxicity. We investigated the effect of ampicillin on neuronal damage in the mouse hippocampus and neostriatum following transient global forebrain ischemia. Male C57BL/6 mice were anesthetized with halothane and subjected to bilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery for 40 min. Ampicillin was administered post-ischemically (for 3 days) and/or pre-ischemically (for 3-5 days until one day before the onset of ischemia). Pre- and post-ischemic treatment with ampicillin (50 mg/kg/day or 200 mg/kg/day) prevented ischemic neuronal death in the medial CA1 area of the hippocampus as well as the neostriatum in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, ischemic neuronal damage was reduced by pre-ischemic treatment with ampicillin (200 mg/kg/day). In summary, our results suggest that ampicillin plays a functional role as a chemical preconditioning agent that protects hippocampal neurons from ischemic insult.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 287-291 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2008 |
Keywords
- Ampicillin
- Global forebrain ischemia
- Hippocampus
- Mice
- Neostriatum
- Neuroprotection
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Pharmacology