Effects of berberine on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures during estrus cycle in rats

This study aimed to determine the effects of berberine on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures during the estrus cycle in rats. A total of 30 adult female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups control (saline), valproic acid (75  mg/kg), berberine (10 mg/kg), berberine (20 mg/kg), and berberine (30 mg/kg). Each contains proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus. Then, each group followed the i.p. administration of saline or vehicle intraperitoneal administration of PTZ (80 mg/kg). Then, initiation time of myoclonic se izures (ITMS), initiation time of tonic–clonic seizures (ITTS), and seizure duration (SD) were recorded. According to the results, berberine (20 and 30 mg/kg) significantly increased the ITTS and ITMS during various phases of the estrous cycle compared to the controls (P <  0.05). Seizure duration significantly decreased using berberine (20 and 30 mg/kg) compared to the controls (P <  0.05). Berberine (20 and 30 mg/kg) significantly increased the onset of ITMS and ITTS in metestrus and diestrus compared to proestrus and estrus (P <  0.05). Findings suggested that berberine has anticonvulsant effects in the model of PTZ rats, and it was more prominent during the luteal phase than the follicular phase.
Source: Comparative Clinical Pathology - Category: Pathology Source Type: research