10.1021/nn302615f.s001 Brittany R. Bitner Brittany R. Bitner Daniela C. Marcano Daniela C. Marcano Jacob M. Berlin Jacob M. Berlin Roderic H. Fabian Roderic H. Fabian Leela Cherian Leela Cherian James C. Culver James C. Culver Mary E. Dickinson Mary E. Dickinson Claudia S. Robertson Claudia S. Robertson Robia G. Pautler Robia G. Pautler Thomas A. Kent Thomas A. Kent James M. Tour James M. Tour Antioxidant Carbon Particles Improve Cerebrovascular Dysfunction Following Traumatic Brain Injury American Chemical Society 2012 nitric oxide levels Antioxidant Carbon Particles Middle East theaters CBF TBI brain injury Cerebrovascular outcome Traumatic Brain InjuryInjury 2012-09-25 00:00:00 Journal contribution https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Antioxidant_Carbon_Particles_Improve_Cerebrovascular_Dysfunction_Following_Traumatic_Brain_Injury/2483827 Injury to the neurovasculature is a feature of brain injury and must be addressed to maximize opportunity for improvement. Cerebrovascular dysfunction, manifested by reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF), is a key factor that worsens outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI), most notably under conditions of hypotension. We report here that a new class of antioxidants, poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized hydrophilic carbon clusters (PEG-HCCs), which are nontoxic carbon particles, rapidly restore CBF in a mild TBI/hypotension/resuscitation rat model when administered during resuscitationa clinically relevant time point. Along with restoration of CBF, there is a concomitant normalization of superoxide and nitric oxide levels. Given the role of poor CBF in determining outcome, this finding is of major importance for improving patient health under clinically relevant conditions during resuscitative care, and it has direct implications for the current TBI/hypotension war-fighter victims in the Afghanistan and Middle East theaters. The results also have relevancy in other related acute circumstances such as stroke and organ transplantation.