Nicotinamide attenuates focal ischemic brain injury in rats: with special reference to changes in nicotinamide and NAD+ levels in ischemic core and penumbra.

We investigated the neuroprotective action of nicotinamide in focal ischemia. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (5-7 months old) were subjected to photothrombotic occlusion of the right distal middle cerebral artery (MCA). Either nicotinamide (125 or 250 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected i.