Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Levetiracetam, a new antiepileptic drug, on the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in rat cortical astrocyte cultures. The astrocytes were treated for 48 h with different concentrations of Levetiracetam and the expression of BDNF and iNOS was analyzed by immunostaining and immunoblotting analyses. We observed that Levetiracetam is able to stimulate expression of both BDNF and iNOS in a concentration-dependent manner on rat cortical astrocyte cultures. For the BDNF, this effect appears at very low concentrations (1 and 10 μg/ml), while expression of iNOS appears only at higher dosages (50 μg/ml). We conclude that Levetiracetam might exert neuroprotective effects, at least in part, via stimulation of neurotrophic factors, thus reducing the extent of inflammation and neuronal death under pathological conditions such as epilepsy.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
