Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death, disability, and mental health disorders. A wide range of bioactive lipids, cytokines, and chemokines drives the inflammatory response. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of buprenorphine on moderate Trauma Brain Injury (mTBI) in rats.
Methods: In this study, 21 Wistar male rats weighing 230 ± 10 g were included. We trained cases by Morris water navigation task and mTBI induced by the pendulum. Then, buprenorphine treatment with 0.05 mg per kilogram of body weight continued from day 8 to 21. Finally, by Micro-Computed Tomography, behavioral evaluation by the Morris aqueous riddle test and biochemical factors of inflammation were assessed.
Results: Severe subdural inflammation was more in the treatment group than in the control group. The behavior of Rats showed that in the buprenorphine group, the mean duration of finding the platform increased compared to the control and Sham groups. However, the groups had no significant differences (P > 0.05). Biochemically, buprenorphine increased prolactin and decreased cortisol compared to the control and trauma groups (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: These results suggest that buprenorphine causes fewer changes in behavioral functions in rats' models of mTBI and, because of their positive effect changes on inflammation biomarkers, biochemical behavioral tests, and CT scan images, could be ideal analgesic agents for pre-clinical responses after TBI.
Keywords: Trauma brain injury; buprenorphine; cortisol; inflammation; prolactin.