Objective       To determine the protective effects of the complement inhibiting component in Ephedra sinica（CICES） after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats.        Methods        Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control

sham-operation group

TBI group

and CICES treatment group. Modified Feeney’s method was used to establish the rat model of experimental TBI with an impact of a weight of 30 g from 20 cm after craniotomy. CICES at 12 mg/kg was given intragastrically once per day for 3 d before the impact

while the rats of TBI group received same volume of normal saline. Survival time was observed and neural function at 6 h

and 1

3 and 7 d after injury was assessed with Bederson grading system. ELISA was used to test the serum levels of  IL-1β and TNF-α. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the changes of complement 3 (C3) expression in the brain. The brain water content was measured.       Results        CICES treatment resulted in longer survival time and higher neurological functional scores than TBI group in 1 and 3 d after injury (P0.05)

and lower serum levels of IL-1 and TNF-α (in all time points except for 6 h for IL-1  level) compared with TBI group (P0.05

0.01). Immunohistochemical assay indicated that there were lesser C3 adhering on cell membrane in CICES treatment group than in TBI group（P0.05）. Brain water content (1

3

and 7 d) was significantly higher in TBI group than in CICES treatment group (P0.05

0.01).       Conclusion        CICES significantly reduces the inflammatory reaction after brain injury

and plays an important protective role in secondary brain damage.