title: Electrophysiological evidence for the anticonvulsant effect of alpha-lipoic acid via indirect antioxidant properties in BALB/c mice.
abstract: Alpha-lipoic acid (alpha-LA) is a strong antioxidant whose effect on epilepsy has not been completely clarified yet. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of alpha-LA on epileptiform activity induced by penicillin in BALB/c mice. In the present study, 56 adult male BALB/c mice were divided into seven groups. Under urethane anesthesia, the mice were injected with intracortical (i.c.) 200 IU penicillin following craniotomy to start epileptiform activity. The effects of alpha-LA on epileptiform activity were examined through the intraperitoneal (i.p.) application of 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg doses. The electrophysiological data have demonstrated that alpha-LA at the 200 mg/kg dose showed an anticonvulsant effect by reducing penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. This effect obtained at the 200 mg/kg dose was determined to emerge 80 minutes after injection (i.p.) and last throughout the experiment. Alpha-LA (400 mg/kg) was appointed as the toxic dose for the BALB/c mice used in this study. The findings of the study indicate that alpha-LA at the 200 mg/kg dose show an anticonvulsant effect by reducing penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. Besides this, the delayed anticonvulsant effect of alpha-LA observed in this study gives the impression that it could result from its indirect antioxidant activity.
authors.affiliation: Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mukadder
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okuyan
authors.forename: Metehan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akca
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildirim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000975:Antioxidants; D008063:Thioctic Acid