The Protective Effect of Nicardipine on Iron-Induced Purkinje Cell Loss in Rat Cerebellum: A Stereological Study

摘要

Summary Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of nicardipine, a calcium channel blocker, on the neurotoxicity induced byintracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) iron injection in rats.Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into three groups; control, iron and iron+nicardipine groups. Rats in iron and iron+nicardipine groupsreceived i.c.v. FeCl3, while rats in control group received the same volume of saline. All animals were kept alive for ten days following the operationand animals in iron+nicardipine group were injected intraperitoneally nicardipine (10 mg/kg/day) once a day during this period. After ten days, all ratswere perfused intracardially and cerebellar tissues were stained with Cresyl violet. Means of total Purkinje cells numbers in the cerebellum wereestimated using the optical fractionator counting method.Results: Means of total Purkinje cells numbers in the cerebellum as follows: 317182±9667, 209002±7836 and 265659±8291 in the control, iron andiron+nicardipine groups, respectively. Total number of Purkinje cells in iron and iron+nicardipine groups were significantly lower than controlanimals (p?2008, Firat University, Medical Faculty Top