title: Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of triptolide on traumatic brain injury in rats.
abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by neuroinflammation, brain edema, and cerebral damage leading to impairment of neurobehavioral function. Triptolide (PG-490), a diterpenoid component from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F., has anti-inflammatory properties. Whether triptolide has neuroprotective functions when treating TBI is unclear. To investigate this possibility, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with triptolide immediately after TBI had been induced by a controlled cortical impact procedure or after a sham procedure. TBI produced neuroinflammation when measured on day 1 after TBI, induced cerebral damage when measured on day 1 and day 3, and impaired neurobehavioral functioning over a 28-day observation period. Triptolide suppressed TBI-induced increases in contusion volume, cell apoptosis, edema and the levels of various pro-inflammatory mediators in the brain. Thriptolide reversed the TBI-induced decrease in brain levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10. Importantly, triptolide improved neurobehavioral outcomes regarding motor, sensory, reflex and balance function. We conclude that triptolide confers neuroprotection against TBI, at least in part, via its anti-inflammatory activity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tzong-Shyuan
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Kou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004224:Diterpenes; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C001899:triptolide