Therapy for cerebral vasospasm

A method of treating or preventing cerebral vasospasm that accompanies SAH comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment or prevention an amount of an agent that inhibits extracellular matrix synthesis or secretion or weakens or degrades extracellular matrix, sufficient to effect said treatment or prevention.

The method according to claim 23 wherein said compound is a matrix metaloproteinase or a serine protease.

A method of identifying an agent potentially suitable for use in treating or preventing cerebral vasospasm that accompanies SAH comprising contacting a growth factor that stimulates proliferation or extracellular matrix production and a receptor therefor in the presence and absence of a test compound and determining the ability of the test compound to inhibit binding of said growth factor to said receptor, wherein a test compound that inhibits said binding is potentially suitable for use in said treatment or prevention.

A method of identifying an agent suitable for use in treating or preventing cerebral vasospasm that accompanies SAH comprising measuring cell proliferation or extracellular matrix production in excised cerebral arteries exposed to a growth factor that stimulates proliferation or extracellular matrix production in the presence and absence of a test compound, wherein a test compound that inhibits cell proliferation or extracellular matrix production is suitable for use in said prevention or treatment.

A method of identifying an agent potentially suitable for use in treating or preventing cerebral vasospasm that accompanies SAH comprising incubating collagen under conditions such that degradation of said collagen can occur in the presence and absence of a test compound and determining whether degradation of said collagen is enhanced or inhibited, wherein a test compound that enhances degradation of said collagen is potentially suitable for use in said treatment or prevention.