Effect of Vitamin E on Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Aged Rats with PTZ-Induced Convulsions

• Published in: Neurophysiology (New York) 2011-03, Vol.42 (5), p.349-353
• Main Authors: Yorulmaz, H., Seker, F. Burcu, Oztas, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brain; Convulsions; Convulsions & seizures; Epilepsy; Neurology; Neurosciences; Permeability; Rodents; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 0090-2977; 1573-9007
• DOI: 10.1007/s11062-011-9168-6

The effect of vitamin E on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability was studied under conditions of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced convulsions in aged (23- to 24-month-old) male albino rats; Evans Blue was used as a tracer. The BBB permeability was found to increase considerably in rats with PTZ-evoked seizures; the Evans Blue contents in the left and right hemispheres and cerebellum + brainstem region were significantly higher than those in the control. Vitamin E at a dose of 70 mg/kg exerted practically no beneficial effect on the increased BBB permeability in rats with seizures, while a greater dose of vitamin E (700 mg/kg) exerted a significant protective effect, especially with respect to the cerebellum + brainstem regions ( P < 0.01). The seizure-related rise in the arterial blood pressure was also smaller in the latter experimental group. Thus, our observations confirm the importance of the vitamin E dose as a protective factor for BBB permeability and demonstrate that the dose dependence of this antioxidant in aged animals differs from that in younger organisms.