Stroke, Vol 20, 1065-1070, Copyright © 1989 by American Heart Association
Comparison of intraluminally versus extraluminally administered nimodipine on serotonin-induced cerebral vascular responses in vitro and in situ
PE Vinall, JJ Michele, DA Gordon and FA Simeone
Neuroscience Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
The purpose of our study was to compare the ability of intraluminally and
extraluminally administered nimodipine to inhibit serotonin-induced
cerebral vascular responses in vitro and in situ. No difference was noted
in the ability of nimodipine, whether administered intraluminally or
extraluminally, to reduce the contractile response of extraluminally
administered serotonin in a closed, pressurized, in vitro bovine middle
cerebral artery preparation; histologic studies indicated that the tight
endothelial junctions normally found in cerebral arteries remained intact
in this preparation. In cats, pretreatment with nimodipine did not
significantly reduce the ability of intracisternally injected serotonin to
decrease cerebral blood flow; however, nimodipine did reduce the changes in
cerebral artery diameter normally noted angiographically after serotonin
injection. Although minor differences were noted between the intraluminal
and extraluminal routes of administration of nimodipine in situ, in general
the effects were comparable.