Salvianolic acid B(Sal B),an effective ingredient of Danshen(salvia miltiorrhiza root),has been shown to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.The present study investigated whether Sal B has a neuroprotective effect on secondary spinal cord injury when administrated alone.In addition,the effects of Sal B on attenuating expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) following acute spinal cord injury were analyzed,as well as the effects of combined treatment of Sal B and etanercept.Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that Sal B significantly reduced matrix metalloproteinase-1 and c-Fos expression at 24 hours after spinal cord injury,and decreased tissue edema was detected using the dry-wet weight method at 3 days after injury.In addition,Sal B significantly promoted recovery of motor function in rats.These effects were most significant at a dose of 20 mg/kg Sal B.At 24 hours after spinal cord injury,reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot assay results showed that Sal B,etanercept,or the combination significantly suppressed increased TNF-α mRNA and protein expression,although the combination resulted in more significant outcomes.These results suggested that Sal B exerted neuroprotective effects against secondary spinal cord injury by reducing expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1,c-Fos,and TNF-α.Moreover,Sal B combined with etanercept resulted in more significant anti-inflammatory effects. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), an effective ingredient of Danshen (salvia miltiorrhiza root), has been shown to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study was whether Sal B has a neuroprotective effect on secondary spinal cord injury when administrated alone. In addition to the effects of Sal B on attenuating expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) following acute spinal cord injury were analyzed as well as the effects of combined treatment of Sal B and etanercept. that Sal B significantly reduced matrix metalloproteinase-1 and c-Fos expression at 24 hours after spinal cord injury, and decreased tissue edema was detected using the dry-wet weight method at 3 days after injury. In addition, Sal B significantly promoted recovery of motor function in rats. These effects were most significant at a dose of 20 mg / kg Sal B. At 24 hours after spinal cord injury, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot a ssay results showed that Sal B, etanercept, or the combination significantly reduced increased TNF-α mRNA and protein expression, although the combination resulted in more significant outcomes. These results that said Sal B exerted neuroprotective effects against secondary spinal cord injury by reducing expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1, c-Fos, and TNF-α. Moreover, Sal B combined with etanercept resulted in more significant anti-inflammatory effects.