Neuroprotective Effect of Phosphocreatine on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Phosphocreatine (PCr) is a natural compound, which can donate high-energy phosphate group to ADP to synthesize ATP, even in the absence of oxygen and glucose. At present, it is widely used in cardiac and renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) disease. In this study, to examine the protective efficacy of PCr against cerebral IR, disodium creatine phosphate was injected intravenously into rats before focal cerebral IR. Intracranial pressure (ICP), neurological score, cerebral infarction volume, and apoptotic neurons were observed. Expression of caspase-3 and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) was analyzed. Compared with IR group, rats pretreated with PCr had better neurologic score, less infarction volume, fewer ultrastructural histopathologic changes, reduced apoptosis, and lower aquaporin-4 level. In conclusion, PCr is neuroprotective after transient focal cerebral IR injury. Such a protection might be associated with apoptosis regulating proteins.