Experimental verification of the favorable activity of synthetic corticostimulin on brain edema induced by ischemia in rats

Abstract The anti-oedematous effect of tetracosactide (Synacthene Immediate) was studied on a rat brain transient global ischaemia model. Brain oedema was evaluated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, with measurement of T1 and T2 relaxation times in the cortex and white matter. The effective kinetic dose of tetracosactide was 0.4 mg/kg, and a comparison of the results obtained with those observed after treatment with dexamethasone 13 mg/kg confirmed that both drugs may be regarded as potent anti-oedematous agents, but there was nothing in this study to suggest that the mechanism of action of tetracosactide was different from that of corticosteroids.