Effect of some drugs on cerebral energy state during and after hypoxia and complete or incomplete ischemia

The effect of caffeine, nicergoline and medibazine was evaluated in the brain of beagle dogs during various experimental conditions of cerebral damage (hypoxia, hypoxia plus incomplete ischemia, hypoxia plus complete ischemia), and during post-hypoxic recovery and restoration of circulation. The behavior of fuels (glycogen, glucose), of glycolytic pathway intermediates (glucose-6-phosphate, pyruvate) and end-product (lactate), as well as the pool of labile phosphates (ATP, ADP, AMP, creatine phosphate) and the energy charge potential were evaluated in the motor area of the cerebral cortex. The drugs tested proved unable to improve the deranged brain metabolism and the energy charge potential under these various hypoxemic conditions. On the contrary, a certain pharmacological effect of nicergoline and medibazine could be observed both in the post-hypoxic recovery and in the recovery following hypoxia plus complete ischemia, caffeine being totally ineffective. As for the recovery subsequent to hypoxia plus incomplete ischemia, none of the drugs tested was able to trigger restoration.