Objective: To explore the protective effects of hirudin on acute experimental intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by observing the changes of histologic pathology and brain water content as well as GFAP-positive cells in the perihematomal brain regions.
Method: The models of rat ICH were made with infusion of autologous blood into the right neucleus caudatus. The rats were divided randomly into control group, intracerebral hemorrhage group and treating group with hirudin. Brain water content was measured, and pathological and GFAP changes were observed.
Result: The pathological impairation after ICH were gradually deteriorated and peaked at the third day. Brain water content after ICH was gradually increased and obviously after one day(P < 0.05) and peaked at the third day. GFAP-positive cells were gradually increased and peaked at the seventh day after ICH. In the treating groups, the pathological impairation and brain water content as well as the GFAP-positive cells were decreased as compared to those in the intracerebral hemorrhage group and the control group. And the positive correlation between GFAP-positive cell numbers and brain water content were shown by linear regression.
Conclusion: The local administration of hirudin, a special inhibitor of thrombin, has protective effects within the first week after ICH.