Dextromethorphan provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxicity effects in the cortex following traumatic brain injury

  • Authors:
    • Benfang Pu
    • Yonghua Xue
    • Qingming Wang
    • Chunhui Hua
    • Xinyuan Li
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  • Published online on: May 25, 2015     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.3830
  • Pages: 3704-3710
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Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by primary and secondary injury mechanisms. TBI induces a certain amount of inflammatory responses and glutamate excitotoxicity that are believed to participate in the pathogenesis of secondary injury. The non‑narcotic anti‑tussive drug dextromethorphan (DM) has been reported to have a high safety profile in humans and its neuroprotective against a variety of disorders, including cerebral ischemia, epilepsy and acute brain injury. However, few studies have explored the underlying mechanisms of the neuroprotective effects of DM in animals in the setting of TBI. The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of DM on TBI and to determine the underlying mechanisms. Rats were subjected to a controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury and randomly divided into three groups: Sham‑operated, TBI and DM treatment groups. The DM treatment group was administered DM (30 mg/kg of body weight, intraperitoneally) immediately after injury. It was identified that DM treatment following TBI significantly reduced brain edema and neurological deficits, as well as increased neuronal survival. These effects correlated with a decrease of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) and IL‑6 protein expression and an increase of glutamate/aspartate transporter and glutamate transporter‑1 in the cortex of the brain. These results provided in vivo evidence that DM exerts neuroprotective effects via reducing inflammation and excitotoxicity induced following TBI. The present study has shed light on the potential use of DM as a neuroprotective agent in the treatment of cerebral injuries.
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September-2015
Volume 12 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Spandidos Publications style
Pu B, Xue Y, Wang Q, Hua C and Li X: Dextromethorphan provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxicity effects in the cortex following traumatic brain injury. Mol Med Rep 12: 3704-3710, 2015
APA
Pu, B., Xue, Y., Wang, Q., Hua, C., & Li, X. (2015). Dextromethorphan provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxicity effects in the cortex following traumatic brain injury. Molecular Medicine Reports, 12, 3704-3710. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.3830
MLA
Pu, B., Xue, Y., Wang, Q., Hua, C., Li, X."Dextromethorphan provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxicity effects in the cortex following traumatic brain injury". Molecular Medicine Reports 12.3 (2015): 3704-3710.
Chicago
Pu, B., Xue, Y., Wang, Q., Hua, C., Li, X."Dextromethorphan provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxicity effects in the cortex following traumatic brain injury". Molecular Medicine Reports 12, no. 3 (2015): 3704-3710. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.3830