Cerebrolysin enhances functional recovery following focal cerebral infarction in rats

• Published in: Restorative neurology and neuroscience Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 25
• Main Authors: Ren, JingMei, Sietsma, Dana, Qiu, Shumei, Moessler, Herbert, Finklestein, Seth P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 2007
• Subjects: Amino Acids - therapeutic use; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Cerebral Infarction - drug therapy; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Functional Laterality - drug effects; Male; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Recovery of Function - drug effects; Stroke - complications; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0922-6028

Cerebrolysin, a preparation derived from porcine brain, contains a mixture of neurotrophic peptides. We tested the effects of Cerebrolysin in a model of stroke recovery in rats.
Cerebrolysin (1.0, 2.5, or 5.0 ml/kg) was administered once daily intraperitoneally for 21 days, starting 24 hours after focal cerebral infarction (stroke) due to middle cerebral artery occlusion in mature rats.
Enhancement of sensorimotor recovery, as assessed by forelimb and hindlimb placing and body swing tests, was seen with Cerebrolysin treatment, especially at the 2.5 ml/kg dose. At this dose, enhanced recovery was found when Cerebrolysin treatment was begun at 24 or 48 (but not 72 hours) after stroke onset. There were no effects on body weight or infarct volume when Cerebrolysin was administered in this manner.
These results suggest that Cerebrolysin may be a useful treatment for enhancing neurological recovery after stroke.