This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Slivka, A. Articles by Pulsinelli, W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Slivka, A. Articles by Pulsinelli, W.

Stroke, Vol 21, 808-811, Copyright © 1990 by American Heart Association

ARTICLES

Carnitine treatment for stroke in rats

A Slivka, D Silbersweig and W Pulsinelli
Department of Neurology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York.

Changes in the concentrations of carnitine, long-chain acylcoenzyme A, and long-chain acylcarnitine in ischemic myocardium parallel those in ischemic brain. Since carnitine treatment reverses these changes and improves function in ischemic hearts, we examined whether carnitine given to rats before focal cerebral ischemia (produced by tandem right common carotid artery and middle cerebral artery occlusion) alters infarct volume in four separate experiments. Mannitol was used to control for the osmotic effect of carnitine on brain edema in one experiment. While carnitine was found to significantly decrease infarct volume compared with saline in one experiment (p less than 0.05, Student's t test), this result could not be replicated in the subsequent three experiments. Because the positive treatment effect was not reproducible despite similar experimental conditions, the result of the first experiment was attributed to a type I error. Mannitol also showed no significant effect on infarct volume. This study emphasizes the need for concurrent controls with each group of treated animals and the need for replicating the results of a single experiment when testing for drug efficacy in animal models of focal cerebral ischemia.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Khanna, S. Roy, A. Slivka, T. K.S. Craft, S. Chaki, C. Rink, M. A. Notestine, A. C. DeVries, N. L. Parinandi, and C. K. Sen Neuroprotective Properties of the Natural Vitamin E {alpha}-Tocotrienol Stroke, October 1, 2005; 36(10): e144 - e152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Bereczki, M. Liu, G. F. d. Prado, and I. Fekete Cochrane Report : A Systematic Review of Mannitol Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke and Cerebral Parenchymal Hemorrhage Stroke, November 1, 2000; 31(11): 2719 - 2722. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Slivka, E. Murphy, and L. Horrocks Cerebral Edema After Temporary and Permanent Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in the Rat Stroke, June 1, 1995; 26(6): 1061 - 1066. [Abstract] [Full Text]