Cnestis ferruginea Vahl ex DC (Connaraceae) downregulates expression of immediate early genes in kainic acid-induced temporal lobe epilepsy in mice.

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of Cnestis ferruginea (CF) on kainic acid (KA)-induced immediate early genes (IEGs) associated with hippocampal sclerosis in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in mice. Animals were randomly divided into preventive treatment; vehicle (10mL/kg, p.o.) or CF (400mg/kg, p.o.) for three consecutive days before KA (5mg/kg, i.p.) on days 4 and 5. In the reversal model, KA (5mg/kg, i.p.) was administered on days 1 and 2 before CF (400mg/kg) administration on days 3-5. Animals were euthanized on day 5, 6h after KA exposure in preventive model and 1h after CF administration in reversal model to estimate markers of IEGs. KA upregulated the expression of c-Fos protein by 3.32-, 9.45-, 8.13-, and 8.66-fold in the hippocampal CA1, CA2, CA3, and DG regions, respectively. Also, KA elevated inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression by 10.9-, 10.6-, 9.78-, and 9.51-fold. Besides, mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factors and heat shock protein was increased by 2.38- and 1.39-fold, respectively, after exposure to KA which were attenuated by CF. CF attenuated KA-induced IEGs and could be used as an adjunct in TLE.