Effects of Tempol on Epileptic Activity in Picrotoxin-Induced Epilepsy in Rats

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease, although its etiology and pathophysiology are not yet fully understood. Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases, including epilepsy, and there have been many studies reporting that antiepileptic medicines with neuroprotective and antioxidant activity inhibit free oxygen radicals. This study evaluates the effects of tempol on epileptic activity through behavioral parameters in acute picrotoxin (Ptx) models.

This experimental study was conducted on 42 adult male Wistar Albino rats weighing 450-500 g. Ptx (2.5 mg/kg) was injected i.p. as a single dose and observed for one hour to establish the acute Ptx model. Following injection, the animals were observed for 30 min in glass observation cages measuring 35 cm x 35 cm x 35 cm.

In picrotoxin-induced epilepsy, the total number of seizures and the total duration of seizures were decreased significantly with Ptx + tempol 100 mg/kg and Ptx + Tempol 150 mg/kg. The seizure phases were reduced significantly by Ptx + tempol 150 mg/kg (P < 0.05).

Tempol 100 mg/kg and tempol 150 mg/kg are found to be effective in epilepsy models caused by Ptx, with tempol 150 mg/kg found especially to be more effective.