The Effects of Shilajit on Brain Edema, Intracranial Pressure and Neurologic Outcomes following the Traumatic Brain Injury in Rat

  Objective(s): Brain edema is one of the most serious causes of death within the first few days after trauma brain injury (TBI). In this study we have investigated the role of Shilajit on brain edema, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, intracranial pressure (ICP) and neurologic outcomes following brain trauma.   Materials and Methods: Diffuse traumatic brain trauma was induced in rats by drop of a ۲۵۰ g weight from a ۲ m high (Marmarou’s methods). Animals were randomly divided into ۵ groups including sham, TBI, TBI-vehicle, TBI-Shi۱۵۰ group and TBI-Shi۲۵۰ group. Rats were undergone intraperitoneal injection of Shilajit and vehicle at ۱, ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ hr after trauma. Brain water content, BBB permeability, ICP and neurologic outcomes were finally measured. Results: Brain water and Evans blue dye contents showed significant decrease in Shilajit-treated groups compared to the TBI-vehicle and TBI groups. Intracranial pressure at ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ hr after trauma had significant reduction in Shilajit-treated groups as compared to TBI-vehicle and TBI groups (P<۰.۰۰۱). The rate of neurologic outcomes improvement at ۴, ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ hr after trauma showed significant increase in Shilajit-treated groups in comparison to theTBI- vehicle and TBI groups (P <۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: The present results indicated that Shilajit may cause in improvement of neurologic outcomes through decreasing brain edema, disrupting of BBB, and ICP after the TBI.