Effects of Nigella sativa on Plasma Oxidative Stress, and Some Apoptotic Protein Markers in Cerebrum and Hippocampus in Pentylenetetrazol Induced-Kindling Rats

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed for investigating the effectiveness of the Nigella sativa (N. sativa) extract on apoptosis in cerebrum and hippocampus and also plasma oxidative stress, in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling rats.
Materials and Methods: The kindling model was induced by subconvulsive doses (35 mg/kg i.p.) of intraperitoneal PTZ injections in N. sativa treated and non-treated PTZ groups (PTZ and PTZ + NS). The PTZ + NS group were also treated with an extract of N. sativa (10 mg/kg) 2 h before each PTZ injection. The total oxidant and antioxidant status, oxidative stress index, paraoxonase, arylesterase, catalase (CAT) and total thiol levels were analyzed in plasma. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cyclin-B1 and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expressions were investigated in the cerebrum and hippocampus.
Results: PTZ decreased the oxidative stress by increasing the activities of CAT, arylesterase, and paraoxonase. N. sativa decreased activities of arylesterase, paraoxonase, while increasing the CAT. It also brought the decreased BDNF and Bcl-2 expression levels to their normal levels in the cerebrum but not in the hippocampus.
Conclusion: N. sativa treatment improved the PTZ induced-impairments in BDNF and Bcl-2 expressions, resulting in a neuronal apoptosis in the cerebrum, without affecting blood oxidative stress.

Keywords

• Apoptosis
• Epilepsy
• Cerebrum
• Hippocampus
• N. sativa
• Oxidative stress

Supporting Institution

This work was supported by the Research Fund of Bezmialem Vakif University.

Project Number

6.2013/8

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