Effects of Melatonin at Different Doses on Experimental Epilepsy Model Induced By Pentylenetetrazole

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of melatonin (MEL) treatment on rats with experimental epilepsy induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Changes in the control, epilepsy and two treatment groups (25 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) were monitored as intragroup and intergroup changes. Materials and Methods: Forty male Wistar albino rats (12-14 weeks old) were divided into control, PTZ, MEL25 and MEL100 groups, with 10 rats in each group. Only solvent was injected in the control group, and PTZ at a dose of 35 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneal 12 times in a total of 23 days in the PTZ group. MEL25 and 100 mg/kg were administered in the MEL25 and MEL100 groups, respectively. Parameters tested during and after the experiment were behavioural tests (elevated plus maze), biochemical tests in brain tissue [after decapitation; malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS)] and epileptic seizure severity scale scores (every injection day). Results: Significant differences were observed among the epilepsy, control and treatment groups, except for the hiding times, seizure scores and biochemical tests (p<0.05). As a result of biochemical tests applied to the homogenised brain tissue after decapitation, dose-dependent results were found to be related to the different doses of MEL applied in MDA, CAT, SOD, TAS and TOS levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, MEL showed a protective and healing role against physiological changes caused by experimental epilepsy, through its capacity to reduce oxidative damage and increase antioxidant potency.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the effect of melatonin treatment on rats with experimental epilepsy induced by pentylenetetrazole. Melatonin showed a protective and healing role against physiological changes caused by experimental epilepsy, through reducing oxidative damage and increasing antioxidant potency.