Objective To investigate the clinical effects of Mengshi Guntan Decoction（ 礞石滚痰汤

MGD） on manic agitation with phlegm-fire disturbing mind syndrome following traumatic brain injury（ TBI）. Methods A total of 37 patients with manic agitation with phlegm-fire disturbing mind syndrome following TBI were recruited and randomly assigned into a treatment group（ 19 cases） and a control group（ 18 cases）. Fifteen healthy subjects from physical examination center were selected as normal group. Both patients groups received the conventional western medicine treatment. In addition

the treatment group received oral administration or nasal feeding of MGD

once a day for 7 days. The neurobehavioural rating scale（ NRS） scores

traditional Chinese medicine（ TCM） syndrome scores were observed before and after treatment. The levels of S-100 B protein（ S-100 B）

tumor necrosis factor alpha（ TNF-α）

neuron-specific enolase（ NSE） and brain derived neurotrophic factor（ BDNF） were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ ELISA） for both treated groups before and after treatment as well as the normal group. Results Before treatment

plasma S-100 B

TNF-α and NSE levels of the two TBI groups of agitation were higher than those of the normal group（ P < 0. 05）

while BDNF level was lower than that of the normal group（ P <0. 05）. After treatment

compared with those of the control group

the NRS scores

the TCM syndrome scores

plasma S-100 B

TNF-α and NSE level was significantly decreased（ P < 0. 05）

while BDNF levels of the treatment group were significantly increased（ P < 0. 05）. Conclusion Mengshi Guntan Decoction in the adjuctive treatment of manic agitation with phlegm-fire disturbing mind syndrome following TBI could improve clinical effects

its mechanism may be associated with decrease of plasma level of S-100 B

TNF-α

NSE and increase of level of BDNF.