A substantial number of epileptic patients are resistant to the current medication thus necessitating the search for alternative therapies for intractable forms of the disease. Previous studies demonstrated the acute anticonvulsant properties of the methanol extract of the stem bark of Psychotria camptopus (MEPC) in rats. This study investigated the effects of MEPC on pentylenetetrazole-kindled Wistar rats. Kindling was induced by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazole (37.5 mg/kg) on every alternate day, 1 h after each daily oral pretreatment of rats (8 ≤ n ≤ 10) with MEPC (40, 80 and 120 mg/kg), vehicle or diazepam (3 mg/kg) for 43 days. The kindling development was monitored based on seizure episodes and severity. Rats’ brains were collected on day 43 for the determination of oxidative stress parameters. The histomorphological features and neuronal cell viability of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus were also assessed using H&E and Cresyl violet stains. Chronic administration of pentylenetetrazole time-dependently decreased the latency to myoclonic and generalized seizures, and increased seizure scores and the number of kindled rats. MEPC and diazepam significantly increased the latencies to myoclonic jerks and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. These substances also reduced seizure score and the number of rats with PTZ-kindling. MEPC improved glutathione status and decreased lipid peroxidation in the brains of kindled rats. MEPC also exhibited neuroprotection against pentylenetetrazole-induced hippocampal and PFC neuronal damages. These results suggest that P. camptopus has antiepileptogenic activity, which might be related to the augmentation of antioxidant and neuroprotective defense mechanisms, and further confirm its usefulness in the management of epilepsy.

大量癫痫患者对目前的药物有抗药性，因此需要寻找治疗顽固性疾病的替代疗法。以前的研究证明了野樱树茎皮甲醇提取物的急性抗惊厥特性(MEPC) 在大鼠中。本研究调查了 MEPC 对戊四唑点燃的 Wistar 大鼠的影响。点燃是通过每隔一天腹腔注射戊四唑 (37.5 mg/kg) 诱导的，在每天用 MEPC (40、80 和 120 mg/kg)、载体或地西泮（3 mg/kg），持续 43 天。根据癫痫发作和严重程度监测点燃的发展。在第 43 天收集大鼠的大脑用于测定氧化应激参数。还使用 H&E 和甲酚紫染色评估了前额叶皮层 (PFC) 和海马的组织形态学特征和神经元细胞活力。戊四唑的慢性给药时间依赖性地降低了肌阵挛和全身性癫痫发作的潜伏期，并增加癫痫发作评分和点燃的老鼠数量。MEPC 和地西泮显着增加了肌阵挛抽搐和全身强直阵挛发作的潜伏期。这些物质还降低了癫痫发作评分和 PTZ 点燃大鼠的数量。MEPC 改善了点燃大鼠大脑中的谷胱甘肽状态并减少了脂质过氧化。MEPC 还表现出对戊四唑诱导的海马和 PFC 神经元损伤的神经保护作用。这些结果表明 MEPC 还表现出对戊四唑诱导的海马和 PFC 神经元损伤的神经保护作用。这些结果表明 MEPC 还表现出对戊四唑诱导的海马和 PFC 神经元损伤的神经保护作用。这些结果表明P. camptopus具有抗癫痫活性，这可能与增强抗氧化和神经保护防御机制有关，并进一步证实其在癫痫治疗中的有用性。