Effect of chromocarb diethylamine on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier.

Intravenously injected collagenase, detectable in brain microvessels by immunological methods, partially degrades the constituents of the vascular wall and so increases the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Intravenous administration of collagenase is a model for diseases in which the concentration of endogenous proteases is increased. Peroral treatment of rats with chromocarb diethylamine (CD) significantly reduced the degradation of the vascular wall by intravenous collagenase, as demonstrated by a lesser permeability increase of the BBB, a shorter recovery time, lower hydroxyproline levels in the cerebrospinal fluid and a lesser decrease of the collagen content of the brain capillary basal lamina.