Demonstration of the effect of brivaracetam on an experimental epilepsy model

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of valproic acid (VPA) and a new-generation antiepileptic drug called brivaracetam (BRV) on the brain damage occurring after status epilepticus (SE) in rats.

In our study, an experimental animal model of SE, generated by stereotaxically injecting 0.4–2 μg of kainic acid into the rat hippocampus, was used. The laboratory animals were divided into 4 groups: the first group was a sham group that was subjected to anesthesia and SE was not induced; the second group was a SE group, in which SE was induced using kainic acid but subjects were not treated; the third group was the VPA group, in which SE was induced using kainic acid and subjects were treated with VPA; and the fourth group was the BRV group, in which SE was induced using kainic acid and subjects were treated with BRV.

Annexin V and p53 levels were statistically higher in the SE group than in the sham group (P < 0.001). Following the treatment with VPA and BRV, a substantial decrease was observed in the annexin V and p53 levels compared to those of the SE group (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in Bcl-2 levels after VPA and BRV treatment compared to the SE group (P < 0.001).

Our study showed that VPA and BRV are protective against neuronal damage occurring after SE in rats due to the increase in Bcl-2.