Regulation of Antioxidant Enzyme Levels in Rat Brain

The whole plant of Nasturtium microphyllum is used as traditional Indian medicine to treat epilepsy. Previous studies have demonstrated that extracts of these plants were subjected to acute toxicity and then screened for antiepileptic activity on maximal electroshock (MES)- and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure models in albino Wistar rats. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of ethanolic (95%) extract of N. microphyllum (EENM) on antioxidant enzymes in rat brain after induction of seizures by MES and PTZ. Our aim of study was relationship between seizure activities and altered levels of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GP), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase, and lipid peroxidation on rat brain. Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase were decreased in rat brain due to seizure, and it was restored significantly by administration of ethanol extract of N. microphyllum on treated rats. Similar dose-dependent results were obtained in PTZ model also, whereas EERS significantly decreased lipid peroxidation in both models. The anticonvulsant activity of EERS might have antioxidant properties and it delays the generation of free radical in MES- and PTZ-induced epilepsy.