dl-3-n-butylphthalide reduces brain damage in mice with closed head injury

Objective To investigate the protective effect of dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NB P) as an anti-cerebral ischemic drug on brain damage 24 h after closed head injury in mice. Methods Closed head injury was induced by dropping a 50-g weight from a hei ght of 18 cm on a metal impounder resting on the parietal bone in mice. Results The neurotraumatic model induced impairment of memory function, sig nificant cerebral edema, and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. dl-3-n- butylphthalide (50 mg . kg(-1)) given intraperitoneally 5 minutes and 60 mi nutes after the onset of closed head injury was found to attenuate the impa irment of memory function (P < 0.05), alleviate brain edema in the injured cerebral cortex (P < 0.05), and reduce extravasation of plasma protein boun d to Evans blue dye by 63.5% (P < 0.01). NBP was also shown to increase the activity of choline acetyltransferase in the injured cortex to 0.83 +/- 0. 21 ng . min(-1) . mg(-1) ( P < 0.01, compared with 0.48 +/- 0.14 ng . min(- 1) . mg(-1) of vehicle group). Conclusion NBP provides therapeutic response in experimental closed head in jury.