Amino acids and nitrite in ischemic brain stroke

Amino acids were quantitated in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma from patients with recent ischemic brain stroke. Aspartic acid and Glutamic acid two putative neurotoxic/ excitatory amino acids along with Glycine and Alanine were significantly higher in CSF of patients with ischemic brain stroke as compared to healthy subjects. No significant change was found in plasma amino acids. High CSF levels of Aspartic and Glutamic acid may have a role in potentiation / initiation of ischemic brain damage in stroke patients. The levels of nitrite (a metabolite of nitric oxide) and its precursor Arginine were significantly higher in CSF of the patients and linearily related. This suggests that the production of nitrite by Nitric oxide synthase is dependent on the pathological condition of stroke patients. CSF levels of Arginine and nitrite were also correlated with the level of Glutamic acid suggesting that Glutamic acid, Arginine and nitrite contribute to the neuronal death in stroke patients.