Methods for treating neural cell swelling

A method of screening for antagonists of the NCCa-ATP channel, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the NCCa-ATP channel;
• and
• (b) identifying test compounds that inhibit an activity of said channel by measuring said activity in the presence and absence of said test compound, wherein a test compound that inhibits said activity is identified as an antagonist of the NCCa-ATP channel.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the NCCa-ATP channel, and
• (b) determining whether the test compound blocks the NCCa-Ap channel, wherein a test compound that blocks the NCCa-ATP channel is identified as a compound for inhibiting neural cell swelling.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit brain swelling, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the NCCa-ATP channel, and (b) determining whether the test compound blocks the NCCa-ATP channel, wherein a test compound that blocks the NCCa-ATP channel is identified as a compound for inhibiting brain swelling.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit brain swelling, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the NCCa-ATP channel, and (b) determining whether the test compound inhibits neural cell swelling, wherein a test compound that inhibits neural cell swelling is identified as a compound for inhibiting brain swelling.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling in an animal, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the NCCa-ATP channel and determining whether the test compound blocks the channel, and (b) administering the test compound to an animal having a brain injury or cerebral ischemia, and determining whether the test compound inhibits brain swelling of the treated animal, wherein test compounds that inhibit brain swelling are identified as compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling in an animal.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit brain swelling, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the NCCa-ATP channel, and determining whether the test compound blocks the channel, and
• (b) administering the test compound to an animal having a brain injury or cerebral ischemia, and determining whether the test compound inhibits brain swelling of the treated animal, wherein test compounds that block the NCCa-ATP channel are identified as compounds that inhibit brain swelling.

A method of preventing neural cell swelling in the brain of a subject, said method comprising administering to the subject a formulation containing an effective amount of a compound that blocks the NCCa-ATP channel and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of alleviating the negative effects of traumatic brain injury or cerebral ischemia stemming from neural cell swelling in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a formulation comprising an effective amount of a compound that blocks the NCCa-ATP channel and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A formulation for preventing or inhibiting neural cell swelling in the brain of a subject, wherein said formulation comprises a compound that blocks the NCCa-ATP channel and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the quantity of said compound is at least 10 times greater than the quantity of said compound in formulations for treating diabetes.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the Kir2.3 channel,
• (b) determining whether the test compound opens the Kir2.3 channel, wherein a test compound that opens the Kir2.3 channel is identified as a compound for inhibiting neural cell swelling.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit brain swelling, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the Kir2.3 channel, and (b) determining whether the test compound opens the Kir2.3 channel, wherein a test compound that opens the Kir2.3 channel is identified as a compound for inhibiting brain swelling.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling and/or brain swelling in an animal, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the Kir2.3 channel, and (b) determining whether the test compound opens the Kir2.3 channel, wherein a test compound that opens the Kir2.3 channel is identified as a compound for inhibiting neural cell swelling and/or brain swelling in an animal.

A method for identifying compounds that prevent, inhibit and/or alleviate brain swelling in a subject, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the Kir2.3 channel, and determining whether the test compound opens the Kir2.3 channel, and
• (b) administering the test compound to a subject having a brain injury or cerebral ischemia, and determining whether the test compound prevents, inhibits and/or alleviates brain swelling in the subject, wherein test compounds that open the Kir2.3 channel are identified as compounds that inhibit brain swelling.

A method for identifying compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling in an animal, comprising:

• (a) contacting a test compound with a composition comprising the Kir2.3 channel, and determining whether the test compound opens the Kir2.3 channel, and
• (b) administering the test compound to an animal having a brain injury or cerebral ischemia, and determining whether the test compound inhibits brain swelling of the treated animal, wherein test compounds that inhibit brain swelling are identified as compounds that inhibit neural cell swelling in an animal.

A method of preventing neural cell swelling in the brain of a subject, said method comprising administering to the subject a formulation containing an effective amount of a compound that opens the Kir2.3 channel and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of alleviating the negative effects of traumatic brain injury or cerebral ischemia stemming from neural cell swelling in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a formulation comprising an effective amount of a compound that opens the Kir2.3 channel and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A composition comprising freshly isolated native reactive astrocytes, wherein said astrocytes express the NCCa-ATP channel.