Abstract: ObjectiveTo observe the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on cerebral infarct volume and expression of caspase-1 protein after permanent focal cerebral ischemia in adult rat.Methods70 healthy adult male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, sham operated group, ischemia group and NAC group. NAC group treated with NAC (150 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) after middle cerebral artery embolized for 30 minutes. The change of infarct volume and the number of caspase-1 positive staining cells in ischemia group and NAC group was compared.ResultsThe infarct volum of NAC group decreased significantly compared with that of ischemia groups at different time-points of cerebral ischemia. In NAC group, the number of caspase-1 positive staining cells deceased at different time-points of cerebral ischemia compared with those of ischemia group.ConclusionTreatment with NAC after brain ischemia may reduce infarct volum permant focal cerebral ischemia in rat. The effect of NAC decreasing apoptosis following permanent focal cerebral ischemia may be related to downregulation of caspase-1 protein.

Key words: ischemia disease, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), cell apoptosis