Effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A on the experimental traumatic brain injury in rats

This paper explores the effects of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rats were divided into four groups: control, TBI, TBI combined with HSYA, and TBI combined with nimodipine. Saline, HSYA, or nimodipine was i.v. injected at 30 min before and 6 h after the onset of TBI. The contusion volume of brain, mitochondrial ATPase activity, brain malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in the blood plasma were investigated. The results showed that the inhibitory rate of HSYA at a dose of 4 mg/kg was 59.2% compared with the TBI group. After the insult by TBI for 48 h, the activity of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase, and Mg(2+)-ATPase decreased to 31, 35, and 38% of control group. HSYA increased these ATPase activities by 162, 96, and 131% of TBI group. HSYA also increased superoxide dismutase activity and decreased MDA content in the right parietal lobe adjacent to contusion foci in TBI rats. HSYA enhanced the t-PA activity by 64.64%, decreased the PAI-1 activity by 71.88%, and decreased the MMP-9 expression to 49.11% in the hippocampus of the TBI group at 12 h. In conclusion, HSYA may exert a potential therapeutic strategy to improve the outcome following TBI injury.