Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Baicalein administration protects against pentylenetetrazole-induced chronic epilepsy in rats

Peiyu Li, Xiuping Wang, Junwu Zhang

Department of Neurology, The Affiliated First Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, 154000, China;

For correspondence:- Junwu Zhang Email: JulianneVselen@yahoo.com Tel:+864548623330

Accepted: 23 January 2018 Published: 28 February 2018

Citation: Li P, Wang X, Zhang J. Baicalein administration protects against pentylenetetrazole-induced chronic epilepsy in rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(2):293-298 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i2.14

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of baicalein against chronic seizures in pentylenetetrazole induced epilepsy in a rat model.

Methods: A rat model of chronic epilepsy was prepared by administration of pentylenetetrazole at a dose of 35 mg/kg to Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were divided into 6 groups (5 rats/group): normal control, model (untreated epilepsy) and four treatment groups that received separately, intraperitoneal injection of 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/kg baicalein, respectively, on alternate days for 30 days. On each day following baicalein treatment, behavioural alterations in the rats were assessed.

Results: Analyses of behavioural changes revealed significant (p < 0.05) decrease in pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions by baicalein treatment at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that treatment with baicalein caused significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent reductions in the levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Baicalein treatment inhibited alterations in cell morphology, and also inhibited pentylenetetrazole-induced increase in the proportion of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that baicalein significantly inhibited the expression of mRNA of NR1 subunit N methyl D aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor, without any effect on the expression of the NR2b (N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B ) subunit mRNA (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: These results indicate that baicalein inhibits pentylenetetrazole-induced chronic seizures in rats via reduction in astrocytes, inhibition of neuronal death and reduction of NR1 mRNA expression. Thus, baicalein has a potential for development into a new drug for the treatment of chronic epilepsy

Keywords: Pentylenetetrazole, Epilepsy, Baicalein, Convulsion, Inhibition, behavioural changes, Hippocampus