Comparison of the effects of bifemelane hydrochloride, idebenone and indeloxazine hydrochloride on ischemia-induced changes in brain monoamines and their metabolites in gerbils

Bifemelane hydrochloride (bifemelane), idebenone and indeloxazine hydrochloride (indeloxazine) are used clinically to reduce apathy and other emotional disturbances in patients with cerebrovascular disease. In gerbil brains, ischemia affects many monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites. In the present study, the effects of treatment with bifemelane, idebenone and indeloxazine on ischemia-induced changes in monoamines and their metabolites were studied in ischemic gerbil brains. Although these drugs had no effect on the monoaminergic neurotransmitters or their metabolites in sham-operated animals, in the ischemic brains both dopamine and serotonin turnovers were abnormal after idebenone or indeloxazine treatment. Bifemelane, in contrast, tended to correct the ischemia-induced changes in the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and thalamus + midbrain. From the present results and those in previous reports, we conclude that bifemelane is more appropriate than idebenone or indeloxazine as a treatment for the ischemia-induced changes in monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems.