The effect of L-NAME and its combination with L-arginine on the spectrum of free amino acids in blood plasma under subtotal cerebral ischemia

The aim of this study was to estimate the changes in the pool of free amino acids and their derivatives in plasma of rats undergoing subtotal cerebral ischemia (SCI) and treated with L-arginine and L-NAME. Materials and methods: Experiment was held on 24 rats: 12 animals were undergoing bilateral filament occlusion of arteries carotid, 6 of them L-NAME (5 mg/kg) was administrated, 6 of them L-arginine and L-NAME (100 mg/kg) was administrated. The analyses of free amino acids levels in the blood plasma extracts were carried out by reversed-phase HPLC. Results: Subtotal cerebral ischemia induced imbalance in the pool of amino acids of plasma. Concentrations of several amino acids were elevated after subtotal cerebral ischemia, including aspartate, glycin, taurine, alanine and phenylalanine. Administration of L-NAME, as well as combination of L-arginine and L-NAME partially prevented the imbalance of the amino acids pool, caused by SCI. Conclusions: Preventive injection of L-arginine and L-NAME alleviate the imbalance in the pool of free amino acids of blood plasma caused by SCI.