Ciclosporin does not attenuate intracranial hypertension in rats with acute hyperammonaemia

Figure 1 Intracranial pressure. Bar plot of mean ICP in the experimental groups after 4 h of ammonia infusion. Error bars represent SE of the mean. A highly significant effect of ammonia infusion on ICP was found (two-way analysis of variance, F = 22.1, P < 0.001). We found no effect of ciclosporin. ICP: Intracranial pressure; PCA: Portacaval anastomosis; Cs: Ciclosporin.

Figure 2 Brain water content. A: Bar plot of mean cortical water content in the experimental groups after 4 h of ammonia infusion. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. A significant effect of ammonia infusion on cortical water content was found (two-way analysis of variance, F = 7.8, P < 0.05). We found no effect of Cs; B: Bar plot of mean cerebellar water content in the experimental groups after 4 h of ammonia infusion. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. A highly significant effect of ammonia on increased cerebellar water content was found (two-way analysis of variance, F = 16.2, P < 0.001). We found no effect of Cs. PCA: Portacaval anastomosis; Cs: Ciclosporin.

Figure 3 Brain aquaporin-4 expression. A: Bar plot and Western blot of AQP4 content of cerebral cortex in group 1 (six leftmost bands) and group 2 (six rightmost bands). No statistical significant difference was found between groups (unpaired student’s t test on densitometric values); B: Bar plot and Western blot of AQP4 content of cerebral cortex in group 3 (six leftmost bands) and group 4 (six rightmost bands). No statistical significant difference was found between groups (unpaired student’s t test on densitometric values). AQP: Aquaporin; PCA: Portacaval anastomosis; Cs: Ciclosporin.