OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the water content in the brain tissue, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), and the neurological function in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to explore the roles of GTS in treating traumatic brain edema rats and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSThe TBI rat model was established using modified Feeney's method. Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e., the sham-operation group, the TBI group, and the GTS-treated group. All rats were sacrificed after their neurological behavior was scored at day 1, 3, 5, and 7 of TBI. The brain tissue was taken out to measure the brain water content with wet-dry weight method. The activity of SOD in the brain tissue and the content of MDA were determined using biochemistry method. The expression levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in the brain tissue were detected using ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the TBI group at the same time point, the brain water content and the content of MDA decreased, the activity of SOD increased, the expression levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta obviously decreased, and the neurological functions were obviously improved in the GTS-treated group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGTS could obviously alleviate the degree of traumatic brain edema after TBI, and attenuate the deleted neurological behavioral symptoms. The underlying mechanisms might be achieved through reducing the production of MDA, decreasing the expression levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, elevating the activity of SOD, inhibiting free radical reaction, and alleviating inflammatory reactions.