Sodium Sulfide, a Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Molecule, Attenuates Acute Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

Aims: Acute cerebral ischemia may lead to ischemic stroke, which is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) functions importantly in mammalian systems. The present work was designed to study the effect of sodium sulfide, a donor of H2S, on acute cerebral ischemia. Methods: Acute cerebral focal ischemia was produced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Bilateral vertebral arteries and common carotid arteries were blocked to establish cerebral global ischemia in SD rats. Acute cerebral anoxia was produced by hypobaric anoxia in C57BL/6 mice and hypoxic anoxia in SD rats. Nimodipine and aspirin were set as positive control separately. Results: Infarct size after MCAO was decreased by sodium sulfide. Sodium sulfide improved cerebral energy metabolism after cerebral global ischemia and prolonged survival time of animals with acute cerebral anoxia. In addition, increased cerebral blood flow and decreased cerebrovascular resistance, blood viscosity, and thrombogenesis were observed in animals treated with sodium sulfide. In cultured neurons, sodium sulfide increased cell viability and decreased cell apoptosis induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation. Conclusion: Sodium sulfide, a H2S donor, presents protective effect on acute cerebral ischemia, and might be a promising therapeutic drug.