Oral Uncaria rhynchophylla (UR) reduces kainic acid-induced epileptic seizures and neuronal death accompanied by attenuating glial cell proliferation and S100B proteins in rats

Abstract

Aim of the study: Epilepsy is a common clinical syndrome with recurrent neuronal discharges in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Here we aim to determine the protective role of Uncaria rhynchophylla (UR), an herbal drug belong to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), on epileptic rats.

Materials and methods: To address this issue, we tested the effect of UR on kainic acid (KA)-induced epileptic seizures and further investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Results: Oral UR successfully decreased neuronal death and discharges in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. The population spikes (PSs) were decreased from 4.1 ± 0.4 mV to 2.1 ± 0.3 mV in KA-induced epileptic seizures and UR-treated groups, respectively. Oral UR protected animals from neuronal death induced by KA treatment (from 34 ± 4.6 to 191.7 ± 48.6 neurons/field) through attenuating glial cell proliferation and S100B protein expression but not GABAA and TRPV1 receptors.

Conclusions: The above results provide detail mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective action of UR on KA-induced epileptic seizure in hippocampal CA1 neurons.