Effect of folinic acid on serum homocysteine, TNFα, IL-10, and HMGB1 gene expression in head injury model

Background: Head injury or traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Many mo- dalities of neuroprotection had been developed in brain injury but there was no much information regarding folinic acid’s effect on neuroinflammation associated with homocysteine, TNFα, IL-10, and HMGB1. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether folinic acid has improving effect on head injury model. Method: This study was done in the rat’s head injury model using modified Marmarou weight drop model. Fifteen rats were randomized and grouped into 3 groups: Group A: Folinic acid (+), head injury (− ); Group B: Folinic acid (− ), head injury (+); Group C: Folinic acid (+), head injury (+). Folinic acid was administered intraperi-toneally with a dose of 60 mg/m2 . Blood samples were taken immediately after head injury (H0), 12 h (H12), and 24 h (H24) after head injury from the lateral vein of tail. Serum level of homocysteine, TNFα, and IL-10 were measured using ELISA, and HMGB1 gene expression was measured with Real-Time RT-PCR. Results: This study found serum level of homocysteine, TNFα, IL-10 and HMGB1 gene expression were markedly increased at all time points after head injury. Significantly lower level of serum homocysteine, TNFα, IL-10 and HMGB1 gene expression were found after 24 h treatment with folinic acid in group C compared to those in group B. Conclusion: Folinic acid may have anti-inflammatory properties in traumatic brain injury by inhibition of serum level of homocysteine, TNFα, IL-10 and HMGB1 gene expression.