Tetramethylpyrazine improves iron metabolism disorders in a rat model of spinal cord injury via the Keap-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway

• Tetramethylpyrazine attenuates iron accumulation and ferroptosis after spinal cord injury by modulating the Keap-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. • Treatment with tetramethylpyrazine upregulates Nrf2, ferritin heavy chain 1, and ferritin light chain expression while downregulating Keap-1, thereby restoring iron homeostasis. • Tetramethylpyrazine improves neuronal structural integrity and reduces iron deposition in a rat model of spinal cord injury. • The Keap-1/Nrf2 pathway represents a promising therapeutic target for spinal cord injury, and tetramethylpyrazine may serve as a potential neuroprotective agent.