Anti-inflammatory effect of meloxicam on experimental vasospasm in the rat femoral artery

J Clin Neurosci. 2008 Jan;15(1):55-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2006.10.010. Epub 2007 Nov 26.

Abstract

Cerebral vasospasm influences morbidity and mortality following subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Inflammation is believed to play a role in post-haemorrhagic vasospasm. Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. We investigated the effect of meloxicam on a rat femoral artery vasospasm model using the radial wall thickness and cross-sectional lumen area as parameters under light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy examination. Rats were randomly separated into SAH, SAH+ meloxicam and control groups. Rats in the SAH+ meloxicam group were given meloxicam at 2 mg/kg daily for 7 days. Femoral arteries were examined by light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and for morphometric analysis. A statistically significant difference (p<0.001) was detected between the SAH and SAH+ meloxicam groups. Meloxicam treatment reduced ultrastructural and morphometric vasospastic changes. These findings support the hypothesis that inflammation may play a role in the pathophysiologyical pathways of post-haemorrhagic cerebral vasospasm.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Femoral Artery / drug effects*
  • Meloxicam
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / chemically induced
  • Thiazines / therapeutic use*
  • Thiazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Vasospasm, Intracranial / drug therapy*
  • Vasospasm, Intracranial / etiology
  • Vasospasm, Intracranial / pathology*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Thiazines
  • Thiazoles
  • Meloxicam