Vinpocetine restores cognitive and motor functions in Traumatic brain injury challenged rats

Abstract Traumatic brain damage is common worldwide and the treatments are not defined. Vinpocetine is PDE1 inhibitor and reported to protect brain damage following various neurptoxic insults. Here in the current study we have investigated the neuroprotective potential of vinpocetine against traumatic brain injury. TBI was induced by Marmarou weight drop method in rats. Brain damage was evaluated using cognition, motor functions and alterations in biomolecules. Injured rats were treated with different doses of vinpocetine for four weeks. Traumatic brain injury in rats produced significant deteriotation of cognition and motor functions. Elevation in markers of oxidative stress, alterations in other monoamines were observed in injured rats, whereas vinpocetine treated rats showed significant recovery with improved alterations in cognitive and motor functions and also restored traumatic brain injury induced biochemical alterations. The observed neuroprotective potential of vinpocetine could be related to its antioxidant potential and its ability to frestore brain neurohemical alterations under stressful conditions.