Morphological assessment of the cerebroprotective action of lanthanum acetate in chronic cerebral ischemia in rats

The aim of the present work was to perform a morphological assessment of the cerebroprotective action of lanthanum acetate in chronic cerebral ischemia in rats. Chronic ischemia was produced in Wistar rats (weighing 160-180 g) by ligation of both common carotid arteries. Ischemic lesions were corrected by intragastric lanthanum acetate (3 mg/kg per day) throughout the experimental period. Ischemic damage to the cortex was assessed morphometrically on histological sections stained by the Nissl method. Lanthanum acetate was found to suppress the development of ischemic neuron damage in the cerebral cortex, with reductions in the numbers of hyperchromic neurons, cells with focal chromatolysis, and ghost cells, as well as an increase in the number of normochromic cells as compared with controls.