Protective Effect of Lavandula officinalis on Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Epilepsy in Mice: Expression of NOS Genes and Caspase-3

Abstract

Abstract Objective Given the incidence of epilepsy and the adverse effects of unconventional antiepileptic medicines, there is a need for a novel medical treatment strategy for epileptic patients. Material and Methods The current study involved the selection of 80 male mice, which were then separated into 10 experimental groups: pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), negative control which received normal saline, treatment which received Lavandula officinalis in two doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, L. officinalis 200 mg/kg and 1400 w, L. officinalis 200 mg/kg and 7-NI, L. officinalis 200 mg/kg and diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI), L. officinalis 400 mg/kg and 1400 w, L. officinalis 400 mg/kg and 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) and group which received L. officinalis 400 mg/kg and DPI. Each group was stimulated with an 11-day injection cycle (every 48 hours) of PTZ at a dosage of 35 mg/kg. All groups underwent PTZ challenge dosage (75 mg/kg) testing during the 12th injection. Ultimately, the brains of all mice were extracted, and the activity of genes related to neuronal nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide, and endothelial nitric oxide was assessed. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to assess the quantity of caspase-3 in the groups. Results Lavandula officinalis decreased the severity of seizures. The findings of our study demonstrated that the extract had a suppressive effect on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS; p < 0.05), while it had a stimulatory effect on endothelial NOS (eNOS; p < 0.05). In addition, L. officinalis reduced caspase-3 levels in the groups who were administered the extract. Conclusion The hydroalcoholic extract of L. officinalis has been found to be effective. Lavandula officinalis enhanced the expression of endothelial nitric oxide and reduced the levels of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide to a greater extent in brain tissue affected by epilepsy. The groups receiving extract derived from L. officinalis exhibited a reduction in the level of caspase-3.