Abstract:

 Objective   To observe the protective effect of L-carnitine on ischemic brain injury in rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) induced damage in PC12 cells, and to explore its possible mechanisms. Methods   The focal cerebral ischemia rat models were made by the suture method. The infarction size was assessed by TTC staining. In vitro, PC12 cells were treated with sodium hydrosulfite (Na2S2O4) in combination with glucose deprivation. Cell viability was analyzed by using MTT assay while the necrosis and apoptosis were observed with SYTOX, PI, TUNEL staining. In addition, the activities of ATPase and SOD, as well as the MDA content, were also detected. Results   The infarction size in the LC group was not obviously reduced compared with that of the model group by using TTC staining(P>0.05). In vitro, when we pretreated PC12 cells with LC, the cell viability, the activities of SOD and ATPase increased, while the number of apoptotic and necrotic cells, as well as the content of MDA decreased, compared with those of the OGD group(P＜0.05). Conclusion   Short-term acute L-carnitine injection has no significant protective effect on ischemic brain injury in rats, but it could protect PC12 cells against oxygenglucose deprivation from damage, and it may exerte these effects through improving cell antioxidant capacity, inhibiting the lipid peroxidation, cell apoptosis and necrosis.

Key words: L-carnitine; Cerebral ischemia; Oxygen-glucose deprivation; PC12; Rat， SD