Erianin promotes endogenous neurogenesis in traumatic brain injury rats

The objective of this study was to explore the positive influence and potential mechanism of Erianin on the recovery of brain cells following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI rat models were prepared and treated with Erianin injection via tail vein. The assessment included evaluating the rats' levels of oxidative stress, inflammation, neuronal damage, mitochondrial damage, neuronal regeneration, transformation of pro-inflammatory microglial cells, activation status of the ERK signal pathway, and the functionality of their learning and memory. After administering Erianin, there was a suppression of oxidative stress, inflammation, nerve cell damage, and mitochondrial damage in the TBI rats. Additionally, there was an increase in neuronal regeneration in the cortex and hippocampus, inhibition of pro-inflammatory microglial cell transformation in the cortex, improvement in learning and memory function in TBI rats, and simultaneous inhibition of the activation of the ERK1/c-Jun signal pathway. The findings suggest that Erianin has the potential to reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction in rats with TBI, safeguard nerve cells against apoptosis, stimulate the growth of new neural cells, ultimately enhancing the cognitive abilities and memory function of the rats. The inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway could be closely associated with these effects.