Lycopene attenuates early brain injury and inflammation following subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats.

Early brain injury (EBI), following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), includes blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and consequent edema formation. This study aims to evaluate the effect of lycopene on early brain injury and inflammation in SAH. Neurological deficits, brain water content and Evans blue dye extravasation were evaluated after the treatment with lycopene. Besides neuronal apoptosis,some inflammatory cytokines were also detected. The results suggested that administration of lycopene following SAH significantly ameliorated EBI, including brain edema, blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment, cortical apoptosis, and neurological deficits. In addition, it also ameliorated inflammation triggered by SAH. In conclusion, post-SAH lycopene administration may attenuate EBI in SAH, possibly through ameliorating neuronal apoptosis, maintaining BBB integrity and attenuating inflammation.