Title:Improvement of a Novel Proposal for Antioxidant Treatment Against Brain Damage Occurring in Ischemic Stroke Patients
Volume: 20
Issue: 1
Author(s): Sofía Orellana-Urzúa, Gonzalo Claps and Ramón Rodrigo*
Affiliation:
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago,Chile
Keywords:
Antioxidants, ischemic stroke, oxidative stress, neuroprotection, ischemia-reperfusion injury, reactive oxygen species.
Abstract: The underlying mechanism of cerebral injury occurring in patients with acute ischemic
stroke involves a key pathophysiological role of oxidative stress. Thus, reactive oxygen species are
related to the development of brain edema, calcium overload, mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity,
iron release and inflammation. Nevertheless, although experimental studies have tested
the use of antioxidants as an adjuvant therapy in this setting, clinical data and randomized trials are
still lacking. Current approved pharmacological therapy is aimed at reperfusion strategies; however,
the therapeutic window is limited and also challenged by the injury known to result from the
reperfusion. We have recently defined a time-course occurrence of pathological events triggered by
reperfusion-dependent increased reactive oxygen species, thus suggesting the beneficial role of the
pertinent use of antioxidants. The present study was aimed to support the hypothesis that an enhanced
antioxidant neuroprotection could be achieved by the use of two or more antioxidants opportunely
provided to ischemic stroke patients focused against the specific mechanism occurring
throughout the pathophysiological process. From this paradigm, using an underexplored therapeutic
principle, it could be suggested that antioxidant-based therapy is a novel, promising, safe, available
and cost-effective strategy against the deleterious effects of ischemic stroke that needs to be
further studied in clinical protocols.