Effects of Nicergoline on Cerebral Energy Metabolism in Normal Mice

Effects of nicergoline, a cerebral circulation and metabolism ameliorator, on cerebral energy metabolism were studied in normal mice by measuring contents of several major metabolites (creatine-P, adenosine triphosphate, glucose, glycogen, lactate and pyruvate) in the brain 30 min after intraperitoneal administration of the drug at doses of 1, 4 and 16 mg/kg and compared with those of dihydroergotoxine (DHE). In addition, influences of both drugs on cytochrome oxidase activity in normal mouse brain homogenate were studied in vitro. Both of nicergoline and DHE caused 12-20% increases in creatine-P contents and 10-37% decreases in lactate and pyruvate contents, but had no effect on glucose contents and energy reserve values. In vitro studies revealed that nicergoline had more potent activating action on cerebral cytochrome oxidase than DHE at final concentrations of 10 and 100 μM. These results suggest that nicergoline has a promoting action, similar to DHE, on cerebral energy metabolism of normal mouse.