The effects of melatonin and memantine on brain injury after stroke

Melatonin and memantine are clinically used agents that have neuroprotectiveeffects against ischemic injury via antioxidative mechanisms and preventing excitotoxicity,respectively. In this study, a combination therapy including both melatonin and memantinewas used upon 90 minutes of transient focal cerebral ischemia and 24 hours reperfusion inmice. Twenty-four hours after cerebral ischemia, neurological deficit, infarct volume andbrain swelling were evaluated. Melatonin, memantine and melatonin/memantinecombination reduced the infarct volume significantly compared to vehicle treated controlgroup. In addition, melatonin and melatonin/memantine combination treatments decreasedbrain swelling upon ischemia significantly. Neurological deficit scores were significantlylower than the control group only in melatonin treated group. These results indicate thatmelatonin/memantine combination is a relevant and useful treatment option against stroke.