Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Positive effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril, on pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizures in mice

Yasar Tastemur¹, Erkan Gumus², Merve Ergul³, Mustafa Ulu³, Recep Akkaya⁴, Aysegul Ozturk⁵, Ahmet Sevki Taskiran⁵

¹Department of Anatomy; ²Departments of Histology and Embryology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine; ³Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sivas Cumhuriyet University; ⁴Department of Biophysics; ⁵Department of Physiology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey.

For correspondence:- Ahmet Taskiran Email: ahmettaskiran@cumhuriyet.edu.tr Tel:+903462191010

Accepted: 27 February 2020 Published: 31 March 2020

Citation: Tastemur Y, Gumus E, Ergul M, Ulu M, Akkaya R, Ozturk A, et al. Positive effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril, on pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizures in mice. Trop J Pharm Res 2020; 19(3):637-643 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v19i3.26

© 2020 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril, on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and post-seizure hippocampal injury.

Materials: Thirty-five male Balb-c mice weighing 30 - 33 g were divided into control, saline PTZ, s(erum physiologic 1 ml/kg as solvent), positive control (valproic acid 200 mg/kg), captopril (25 mg/kg/day for 7 days), and captopril (50 mg/kg/day for 7 days) groups. PTZ (60 mg/kg) was administered thirty minutes after medication administration to induce epileptic seizures. The animals were observed for 30 min to record Racine stages, the time of the first myoclonic jerk (FMJ), and the occurrence of the first generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS). Cornu Ammonis (CA)1, CA2, CA3, and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus underwent histopathological examinations. The levels of total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress markers (total antioxidant status, TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured in the brain tissue.

Results: Compared to PTZ group, 25 mg/kg captopril decreased seizure scores and delayed FMJ and GTCS (p < 0.05). Histopathological assessment demonstrated that both 25 and 50 mg/kg captopril alleviated neuronal injury in CA1, CA2, CA3, and DG compared to PTZ (p < 0.05). Also, TOS and OSI levels in the brain tissue were reduced by both 25 and 50 mg/kg doses of captopril (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Captopril favorably improves epileptic seizure parameters and acts against post-seizure neuronal injury in the hippocampus. Captopril may be a drug of choice in epileptic individuals with hypertension.

Keywords: Captopril, Angiotensin-converting enzyme, Epilepsy, Pentylenetetrazole, Neuronal damage