Kaempferol reduces secondary brain injury measures in a mouse trauma model
Published in Brain/Neurology, Drugs development & discovery, Immunology, Journals.
Published October 31, 2026.
Kaempferol reduced several measures of secondary damage after traumatic brain injury in mice, according to a study published October 30 in Scientific Reports.
Using a fluid percussion injury model, researchers reported smaller lesions, less neuronal loss and better neurological, motor and cognitive outcomes in treated animals. They also observed reduced leakage across the blood–brain barrier and improved blood flow on the injured side of the brain.
Treatment was accompanied by fewer accumulated microglia and infiltrating neutrophils, alongside changes in inflammatory cytokines. In separate experiments, kaempferol reduced inflammatory activation in cultured BV2 microglial cells.
Changes in PI3K–AKT and other signaling proteins accompanied these effects, but the reported associations do not establish which pathway caused the improvements.
These findings are preclinical. They do not demonstrate that kaempferol supplements prevent or treat traumatic brain injury in people; human safety, dosing and effectiveness remain unestablished by this study.
Source: Li, T., Wang, D., Li, L. et al., Scientific Reports, October 30, 2026. Read the original study.