The effects of fasting on ischemic infarcts in the rat

BackgroundInflammation has been found to be largely detrimental early in the acute phase of stroke but beneficial at more chronic stages. Fasting has been shown to reduce inflammation acutely. We aimed to determine whether post-ischemic fasting improves stroke outcomes through attenuated inflammation. MethodsAfter an endothelin-1 lesion was created in the striatum, animals were subjected to either normal feeding or water-only fasting for 24 hours. ResultsIt was found that at 24 hours, fasting reduced infarct volume and BBB breakdown and lowered both circulating and brain neutrophils. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that fasting is a potentially beneficial non-pharmacological additive therapeutic option for cerebral ischemia, which might act by reducing inflammation in the acute disease stage.