[Protective effect of meloxicam against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in normo- and hypertensive].

Normotensive and hypertensive male Wistar rats were subjected to the 3 h bilateral carotid artery occlusion followed by 72 h of reperfusion. The selective cycloxygenase-2 inhibitor meloxicam was administered intramuscularly after the cerebral reperfusion at a daily dose of 15 mg/kg. Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate the cerebral blood flow during the reperfusion phase. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) within the brain tissue homogenate was determined using spectrophotometry. The presence of arterial hypertension caused the altered response of brain tissue to ischemia/reperfusion. The meloxicam treatment significantly decreased the MDA level in normotensive rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion. The protective effect of meloxicam against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury was more pronounced in hypertensive rats as compared to normotensive animals.