Somayeh Vazifehkhah1, Ali Mohammad Khanizadeh1, Javad Fahanik Babae2, Paria Hashemi1, Alireza Moein Sadat1, Farnaz Nikbakht3. 1. Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Electrophysiology Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Nikbakht.f@iums.ac.ir.
Abstract
AIMS: Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in epileptogenesis is necessary to target the best therapeutic interventions in epilepsy. Recently, it has been postulated that metformin, an old antidiabetic oral drug, has anti-seizure properties mostly due to its antioxidant activities. This study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effects of metformin on the progression of epilepsy in the temporal lobe epilepsy model in rats. MAIN METHODS: Temporal lobe Epilepsy was induced by intracerebroventricular microinjection of kainic acid. Metformin was orally administered for two weeks before induction of epilepsy. Anti-epileptogenic activity of metformin was evaluated by intracranial electroencepholography (IEEG) recording to detect spontaneous seizures, mossy fiber sprouting by Timm staining, neurogenesis by BrdU staining. KEY FINDINGS: Oral administration of metformin prior to kainite-induced status epilepticus blocked the variant characterizations of epileptogenesis like neuronal cell death, aberrant neurogenesis, mossy fiber sprouting, and spontaneous seizures. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings indicate that metformin has potential anti-epileptogenic properties in temporal lobe epilepsy.
AIMS: Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in epileptogenesis is necessary to target the best therapeutic interventions in epilepsy. Recently, it has been postulated that metformin, an old antidiabetic oral drug, has anti-seizure properties mostly due to its antioxidant activities. This study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effects of metformin on the progression of epilepsy in the temporal lobe epilepsy model in rats. MAIN METHODS:Temporal lobe Epilepsy was induced by intracerebroventricular microinjection of kainic acid. Metformin was orally administered for two weeks before induction of epilepsy. Anti-epileptogenic activity of metformin was evaluated by intracranial electroencepholography (IEEG) recording to detect spontaneous seizures, mossy fiber sprouting by Timm staining, neurogenesis by BrdU staining. KEY FINDINGS: Oral administration of metformin prior to kainite-induced status epilepticus blocked the variant characterizations of epileptogenesis like neuronal cell death, aberrant neurogenesis, mossy fiber sprouting, and spontaneous seizures. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings indicate that metformin has potential anti-epileptogenic properties in temporal lobe epilepsy.
Authors: Miguel A Orrego; Manuela R Verastegui; Carlos M Vasquez; Hector H Garcia; Theodore E Nash Journal: Int J Parasitol Date: 2022-02-17 Impact factor: 4.330