Objective      To investigate the protective effect of Xuebijing injection

an intravenous fluid derived from a traditional Chinese prescription

Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction

on traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats.       Methods      A total of 108 Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=36 for each group)

sham-operation group

injured group and the Xuebijing injection treatment group. The injured models of TBI were inflicted with free-falling objects (5.88 N·m). The animals from treatment group received an intraperitoneal injection of Xuebijing injection every 12 h (4 mg/kg) immediately after injury

and those out of the other 2 groups received the same route and dose of normal saline. Rats were sacrificed in 24 and 72 h after TBI. The water contents of brain tissue were measured with dry-wet weight method

and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)

and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected with the biochemical techniques. Pathological changes of brain tissues were observed after HE staining.       Results      Compared with the sham-operation group

the levels of MDA were increased significantly（P0.01）

the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were remarkably reduced （P0.01）in 24 and 72 h after TBI in the injured group and treatment group. But the above conditions in the treatment group were much better than in the injured group （P0.05）.       Conclusion      Xuebijing injection protects rats against TBI

which might be due to its alleviating traumatic brain edema and inhibiting oxidative stress.