Effect of Vitamin E on Serum MDA and Antioxidant Enzymes in Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Rats

Abstract

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents one of the major causes of mortality and disability in the world. This study was designed to investigate the role of antioxidants in the treatment of induced TBI in albino rats. Methodology: Adult albino rats were induced with TBI by the weight-drop method. Rats were grouped into three groups of eight rats each. Group I served as a traumatized-treated group (TT), Group II served as a non-traumatized, non-treated group (TNT), and group III served as normal control group. The treatment group received 67.5 mg/kg of vitamin E (VE). Treatment started 30 minutes after the trauma and continued for 21 days. The antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum tissue were assayed to evaluate oxidative stress (OS).   Results: The treated group showed a significant (p< 0.05) increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT GPx) and a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the concentration of MDA compared to the TNT group. Conclusion: Conclusively, these promising results suggest that the use of antioxidant VE may be a useful neuroprotective strategy in the treatment of TBI.