Abstract: AIM: To observe the effects of cornus iridoid glycosides (CIG) on inflammatory reaction especially the inflammatory cytokines in the brain after traumatic brain injury, and to explore the possible mechanisms of its neuroprotective effect. METHODS: SD rats were intragastrically administered with different doses of CIG (30, 60 and 120 mg·kg ^-1·d ^-1) for 7 d. The traumatic brain injury rat model was induced by improved Feeney's fall weight method, and the brains were taken out 24 h and 72 h after brain injury, respectively.The morphological changes were observed by HE staining in the cerebral cortex.The expressions of inflammatorycy to kine tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were detected by immunohistochemical method.The image processing and stati stical analysis were used to measure the number and the area of immunoreactiv ecells. RESULTS: HE staining showed the pathological changes were serious in the cerebral cortex of model group, and compared with the model group, the pathological changes were obviously reduced in CIG group.The positive immune reactive cells of TNF-αand IL-1β were mainly distributed around the foci of contusion, the expressions of TNF-αand IL-1β in the model group were sig nificantly higher than those in sham operated group, and the high expressions were sustained from 24 h to 72 h after brain injury.Compared with the model group, the levels of TNF-α and I L-1β in the brain of CIG treatment groups were obviously decreased in a do se-dependent manner and the inhibitory effects of TNF-αand IL-1β were more significant at 72 h after brain injury. CONCLUSION: CIG may have neuro protective effect on traumatic brain injury through inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines and reducing the inflammatory reaction.

Key words: Cornus iridoid glycosides, Traumatic brain injury, Inf lammation, Tumor necrosis factor-α, Inte rleukin-1β