title: Scorpion ethanol extract and valproic acid effects on hippocampal glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in a rat model of chronic-kindling epilepsy induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine.
abstract: The present study analyzed the effects of ethanol extracts of scorpion on epilepsy prevention and hippocampal expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in a lithium chloride-pilocarpine epileptic rat model. Results were subsequently compared with valproic acid. Results showed gradually-increased hippocampal glial fibrillary acidic protein expression following model establishment; glial fibrillary acidic protein mRNA expression was significantly increased at 3 days, reached a peak at 7 days, and then gradually decreased thereafter. Ethanol extracts of scorpion doses of 580 and 1 160 mg/kg, as well as 120 mg/kg valproic acid, led to a decreased number of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein mRNA expression, as well as decreased seizure grades and frequency of spontaneously recurrent seizures. The effects of 1 160 mg/kg ethanol extracts of scorpion were equal to those of 120 mg/kg valproic acid. These results suggested that the anti-epileptic effect of ethanol extracts of scorpion were associated with decreased hippocampal glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in a rat model of lithium chloride-pilocarpine induced epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hongbin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Baoming
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
keywords: Chinese herbs; epilepsy; glial fibrillary acidic protein; lithium chloride-pilocarpine; scorpion ethanol extraction; valproic acid