NOTE: Translated using software of translation of Spanish to English

The current therapeutic strategies are oriented to reestablish the cerebral blood flow and to protect the nervous cells during cerebrovascular disease. Searching neuroprotective agents has been guided to block some of the molecular events that nervous cells suffer as a consequence of ischemia. Human recombinant  erythropoietin constitutes a recent proposal, demonstrating to have neuroprotective mechanisms of action at  more than one level, appearing to be a short term promising option. Its erythropoietic action can represent an convenience for chronic treatments or in secondary prevention. The use of an erythropoietin with low content of sialic acids –with neuroprotective activity but not erythropoietic– may be a good option.  This molecule should be administered by a non systemic route as is the intranasal in order to prevent the hepatic degradation. Intranasal administration of human recombinant erythropoietin has shown to  be quick and safe in accessing the brain, it does not stimulate erythropoiesis in acute treatments and it shows  therapeutic effectiveness in  several models of cerebral ischemia in rodents. This proposal can become a therapeutic option in cerebrovascular diseases. 

Author: Ecuadorian magazine of neurology