Effect of Ethanol Extract of Brophyllum pinnatum on Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Kindling, Cognition and Oxidative Stress in Rats

Abstract

Epilepsy is a debilitating non communicable neurological disorder caused by a variety of factors. There are limited drugs for the management of epilepsy. Thus this study evaluates the effect of ethanol extract of Brophyllum pinnatum (EEBP) on epileptogenesis in a pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling, cognition and oxidative stress in rats. Thirty male Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g were randomly divided into five groups (n = 5), all the groups except group one were administered 30 mg/kg pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) on alternate days, till at least 25 PTZ administrations. Groups one and two were administered distilled water, and groups 3 – 5 were given 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg EEBP.  The rats were subsequently scored for kindling, while cognitive effect was assessed with Y-maze test, and markers of oxidative stress and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) were also estimated in the whole brain after sacrifice. Kindling scoring results showed that EEBP decreased the progression of epileptogenesis. Pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure intensity and duration were reduced by EEBP. The result also revealed that the extract ameliorates the impaired working memory and the negative symptoms of epilepsy. These beneficial effects of the extract might be due to its modulation of oxidative stress markers. This study provides valuable and reliable evidence that Bryophyllum pinnatum possess antiepileptogenic and antioxidant properties.