Protective effects auraptene alone and in combination with estradiol on intestine injury induced by traumatic brain injury in male rats: The role of oxidative stress.

Objective: This investigation aimed to evaluate how varying doses of auraptene (AUR) alone and in combination with estradiol (E2) on various parameters after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. Materials and Methods: The rats were divided into twelve groups, including a sham group and eleven TBI groups. The TBI groups consisted of three vehicle groups (DMSO, Oil, and DMSO+Oil), an E2 group, three AUR groups with varying doses (4, 8, and 25 mg/kg), and three combination groups of AUR and E2 (AUR 4+E2, AUR 8+E2, and AUR 25+E2).AUR was administered for five consecutive days) ip). TBI was induced 30 minutes after the last injection on the fifth day.E2 and Oil were injected 30 minutes post-TBI. Results: AUR at 25 mg/kg and in combination with E2 significantly reduced brain water content. Nitric Oxide (NO) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were lower in AUR 8 and 25, and all AUR+E2 groups. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and Catalase (CAT) activity increased in all AUR+E2 groups. TBI increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels in the intestine, which were reduced by AUR alone and AUR+E2. Conclusion: These findings support AUR, particularly with E2, as a promising therapeutic strategy for managing oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage in TBI cases.