Minocycline Treatment in Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke

Minocycline Treatment in Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke for Evaluation of Treatment Efficacy and Blood Brain Barrier Permeability

The investigators will perform a double blind controlled study to investigate the efficacy of oral administration of 200 mg minocycline, on the neurological and functional outcome after acute hemorrhagic stroke and the effect on blood brain barrier permeability.

Minocycline, a semisynthetic second generation derivative of tetracycline, was shown to have a clear beneficial neuroprotective effect in animal models of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Animal models provide promising evidence of minocycline's ability to improve outcomes in an animal stroke model.

In light of these findings, we will perform a double blind controlled study to investigate the efficacy of oral administration of 200 mg minocycline, on the neurological and functional outcome after acute hemorrhagic stroke and the effect on blood brain barrier permeability.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke

  1. age > 18
  2. NIHSS score > 5
  3. onset of stroke 6 to 24 hours prior to beginning of treatment. Patients, who arrived within 0 to 6 hours post stroke, were treated with other medications according to the best accepted medical treatment guidelines.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Evidence of other disease of the central nervous system, including brain tumor, demyelinating disease, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, craniotomy in the past, severe brain injuries and benign intracranial hypertension
2. pre-existing neurological disability
3. known allergic response to tetracyclines
4. acute or chronic renal failure
5. pre-existing infectious disease requiring antibiotic therapy
6. swallowing difficulties