Additional antiepileptic mechanisms of levetiracetam in lithium-pilocarpine treated rats

• Published in: PloS one 2013-10, Vol.8 (10), p.e76735
• Main Authors: Al-Shorbagy, Muhammad Y, El Sayeh, Bahia M, Abdallah, Dalaal M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anticonvulsants; Anticonvulsants - pharmacology; Antioxidants; Antioxidants (Nutrients); Blood-brain barrier; Brain; Catecholamines; Convulsions; Cytokines; Dinoprostone - agonists; Dinoprostone - antagonists & inhibitors; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Dopamine; Dopamine - metabolism; Epilepsy; Etiracetam; Glutathione; Glutathione - agonists; Glutathione - antagonists & inhibitors; Glutathione - metabolism; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - drug effects; Hippocampus - metabolism; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Inflammation; Interleukin; Interleukin 10; Interleukin-10 - agonists; Interleukin-10 - antagonists & inhibitors; Interleukin-10 - metabolism; Laboratory animals; Levetiracetam; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Lithium; Lithium Chloride; Male; Neuropeptides; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - agonists; Nitric Oxide - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Noradrenaline; Norepinephrine; Norepinephrine - agonists; Norepinephrine - antagonists & inhibitors; Norepinephrine - metabolism; Peroxidase; Peroxidase - antagonists & inhibitors; Peroxidase - metabolism; Peroxides; Pharmacology; Pharmacy; Pilocarpine; Piracetam - analogs & derivatives; Piracetam - pharmacology; Potassium; Prostaglandin E2; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Restoration; Rodents; Seizing; Seizures; Seizures (Medicine); Seizures - chemically induced; Seizures - drug therapy; Seizures - metabolism; Seizures - physiopathology; Toxicology; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - agonists; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor necrosis factor-α
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076735

Several studies have addressed the antiepileptic mechanisms of levetiracetam (LEV); however, its effect on catecholamines and the inflammatory mediators that play a role in epilepsy remain elusive. In the current work, lithium (Li) pretreated animals were administered LEV (500 mg/kg i.p) 30 min before the induction of convulsions by pilocarpine (PIL). Li-PIL-induced seizures were accompanied by increased levels of hippocampal prostaglandin (PG) E2, myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-10. Moreover, it markedly elevated hippocampal lipid peroxides and nitric oxide levels, while it inhibited the glutathione content. Li-PIL also reduced hippocampal noradrenaline, as well as dopamine contents. Pretreatment with LEV protected against Li-PIL-induced seizures, where it suppressed the severity and delayed the onset of seizures in Li-PIL treated rats. Moreover, LEV reduced PGE2 and MPO, yet it did not affect the level of both cytokines in the hippocampus. LEV also normalized hippocampal noradrenaline, dopamine, glutathione, lipid peroxides, and nitric oxide contents. In conclusion, alongside its antioxidant property, LEV anticonvulsive effect involves catecholamines restoration, as well as inhibition of PGE2, MPO, and nitric oxide.