Introduction: Priority in the early stages conservative treatment option of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is to prevent secondary damage. Our aim was in this study was the investigate the acute effects of Decorine which has, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties via inhibition of transforming growth factor beta.
Methods: 24 rats were randomized in four groups of six animals (n:6) as follows: group 1 (control), group 2 (trauma), group 3 (methylpredinisolone (MP) 30 mg/kg) and group 4 (Decorine 0.01 mg/kg). In the control group no trauma was performed. In all the other groups, the head trauma model was created by the a free fall from a height. Following 24 hours all rats were sacrificed . Serum and tissue level of antioxidant panels, lipid peroxidation panels, and Caspase-3 were analyzed. Histopathological evaluations were performed.
Results: After traumatic brain injury, both the serum levels and tissue levels of the oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation biomarkers (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase, xanthine oxidase) as well as Caspase-3 were found to be decreased in group 3 and 4 (Decorine). Whereas, the levels of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) were found to be increased compared to the trauma group in treatment groups (Table-1). Perineural and perivascular oedema , satellitosis and spongiosis degrees and pathological scoring results were significantly low in Decorine and MP groups compared to trauma group (Table-2) (Figure-1, Figure-2). The number of degenerating neurons in both treatment groups were determined to be lower than trauma group (Table-3).
Conclusions: Decorine has provided anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and anti-apoptotic effects in the chronic stage after neuronal injury. In this study, we revealed for the first time that Decorine has also provided antioxidant activity in post-traumatic acute stage term(in 24 hours).
Patient Care: Present study will help to prevent from effects of secondary neuronal injury after head trauma; so that it will aid for decreasing the total costs of patient treatment care and secondary injury in traumatic head injuries.
Learning Objectives: Decorine exhibits meaningful antioxidant activity following traumatic brain injury in acute stage.