Neuroprotective Effects of α-pinene on Memory Impairment and Apoptosis in a Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Kindling Model of Epilepsy in Rats

Hashemi, Paria; Nazarinia, Donya; Dolatshahi, Mojtaba

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Neuroprotective Effects of α-pinene on Memory Impairment and Apoptosis in a Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Kindling Model of Epilepsy in Rats

Paria Hashemi

, Donya Nazarinia ^*

, Mojtaba Dolatshahi

Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran , e_nazarinia@yahoo.com

Abstract: (9 Views)

Introduction: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent and spontaneous seizures. α-Pinene, a monoterpene found in plant essential oils, has been shown in neuroscience studies to exhibit significant biological activities, particularly anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of α-pinene on memory impairment and neuronal apoptosis in a pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling model of epilepsy in rats. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control, PTZ-induced kindling (intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg PTZ for 10 consecutive days), PTZ + α-pinene 50 mg/kg, PTZ + α-pinene 100 mg/kg, and α-pinene 100 mg/kg. Seizure behaviors were assessed using the modified Racine scale. Short-term spatial working memory and passive avoidance memory were assessed using the Y-maze and shuttle box apparatus, respectively. Cytochrome c and caspase-3 levels were measured in hippocampal tissue using ELISA. Results: Our findings showed that PTZ-treated rats exhibited more severe seizures and pronounced memory impairment. α-Pinene, at both doses, significantly attenuated seizure intensity and duration compared with the PTZ group. Treatment with α-pinene (100 mg/kg) significantly increased latency to enter the dark chamber in the passive avoidance test and improved spontaneous alternation behavior in the Y-maze test. In addition, cytochrome c and caspase-3 levels were significantly reduced in the α-pinene (100 mg/kg) group compared with the PTZ group. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that α-pinene exerts anticonvulsant effects and improves memory performance in the PTZ-induced kindling rat model of epilepsy, potentially through modulation of apoptotic pathways, as evidenced by reduced cytochrome c and caspase-3 levels.

Keywords: Pentylenetetrazole, Seizures, Hippocampus, Caspase 3, Spatial Learning

Type of Study: Research --- Open Access, CC-BY-NC | Subject: Neurophysiology

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