Protection of Mice from Controlled Cortical Impact Injury by Food Additive Glyceryl Tribenzoate

Despite intense investigations, no effective therapy is available to halt the pathogenesis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major health concern, which sometimes leads to long-term neurological disability, especially in war veterans and young adults. This study highlights the use of glyceryl tribenzoate (GTB), a flavoring ingredient, in ameliorating the disease process of controlled cortical impact (CCI)-induced TBI in mice. Oral administration of GTB decreased the activation of microglia and astrocytes to inhibit the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in hippocampus and cortex of TBI mice. Accordingly, GTB treatment protected and/or restored synaptic maturation in the hippocampus of TBI mice as revealed by the status of PSD-95, NR-2A and GluR1. Furthermore, oral GTB also reduced the size of lesion cavity in the brain of TBI mice. Finally, GTB treatment improved locomotor functions and protected spatial learning and memory in TBI mice. These results outline a novel neuroprotective property of GTB which may be beneficial in treatment of TBI.