The effects of antiepileptic drug valproic acid on apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in epileptic rats

This study activated chronic epilepsy rat model with PTZ (Pentetrazole) and controlled epilepsy with VPA (valproate). By doing that, we detected the apoptotic cells of hippocampus and figured out the expression variation of hippocampal neurons applying immunohistochemical methods. We selected 30 adolescent male SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats (201 +/- 29g), Which were clean and healthy. The rats were divided into three groups and 10 were in each. Then we detected the apoptotic cells of hippocampus using TUNEL (Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Mediated Biotinylated Deoxyuridine Triphosphate Nickel End Labeling Technique) and Bcl-2 and Bax positive cells applying immunohistochemical methods. The results showed Bcl-2 positive cells of hippocampal neuron in VPA group had no statistical variation as compared with PTZ group; Bax positive cells of hippocampal neuron in VPA group induced as compared with PTZ group; dye and density of the positive cells were both decreased, whereas there was no statistical variation when compared with normal control group. Based on the experiment, we reached the conclusion that, VPA showed no harm to epileptic rats and the hippocampal neuronal apoptosis after epilepsy and anti-epileptic drug was probably resulted from the decrease of Bcl-2 expression and increase of Bax expression.