Influence of acetyl-carnitine on some mitochondrial enzymic activities in the human cerebral tissue in conditions of acute hypoxia.

Following previous research on human tissue in conditions of acute and massive hypoxia, in the present work the authors compared the cellular enzymic response to oxidative stress in normoxic (perifocal) and hypoxic (focal) areas in human brain affected by regional acute vasculopathies. Two homogeneous groups of patients were selected following strict clinical inclusion/exclusion criteria. The groups of patients were treated with a placebo or acetyl-carnitine at same doses and following randomized, double-blind procedures. The focal areas showed a significant functional damage in lactate, pyruvate and succinate dehydrogenases and in the cytochrome oxidase activity when compared with the enzymic capacities of perifocal areas (normoxic as controls). The pretreatment with acetyl-carnitine antagonized the above-mentioned enzymic damage by a protective action linked to the endocellular energy restoration. In accordance with these data, the therapeutic role played by acetyl-carnitine in the cerebral focal hypoxia appeared to be a determinant for the cell survival mainly in the reversible phase of oxidative damage.