Therapeutic effect of ulinastatin on traumatic brain edema accompanied by seawater drowning in rats

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of ulinastatin on traumatic brain edema (TBE) accompanied by pulmonary edema due to seawater drowning in rats. Methods Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group (nffi8) and ulinastatin treatment group (n=24). A rat model of moderate brain trauma was established by lateral head impact, and pulmonary edema was induced in these rats by pulmonary lavage with seawater to mimic seawater drowning. Twenty-four hours after intmperitoneal injection of ulinastatin, the changes in the cerebral and pulmonary water contents and concentrations of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the brain, lungs and serum were measured, and the histopathological changes of the brain and lung tissues were observed. Results The cerebral and pulmonary water contents and the IL-1β and TNF-α concentrations in the serum, brain and lungs of the rats with brain trauma and pulmonary edema were markedly decreased after ulinastatin injection, which also resulted in obvious improvement of the brain and lung pathologies induced by the injuries. Conclusion Ulinastatin can alleviate traumatic brain edema in rats with pulmonary edema due to seawater drowning by inhibiting the proinflammatory cytokines. Key words: Traumatic brain edema; Pulmonary edema; Cytokines; Ulinastatin