Effects of ferulic acid on oxidative stress, heat shock protein 70, connexin 43, and monoamines in the hippocampus of pentylenetetrazole-kindled rats

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of ferulic acid (FA) on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures, oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, and reduced glutathione (GSH)), connexin (Cx) 43, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70), and monoamines (serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE)) levels in a rat model of PTZ-induced kindling. Sixty Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 equal groups: (a) normal group; (b) FA group: normal rats received FA at a dose of 40 mg/kg daily; (c) PTZ group: normal rats received PTZ at a dose of 50 mg/kg i.p. on alternate days for 15 days; (d) FA-before group: treatment was the same as for the PTZ group, except rats received FA; and (e) FA-after group: rats received FA from sixth dose of PTZ. PTZ caused a significant increase in MDA, Cx43, and Hsp70 along with a significant decrease in GSH, 5-HT, and NE levels and CAT activity in the hippocampus (p < 0.05). Pre- and post-treatment with FA caused significant improvement in behavioral parameters, MDA, CAT, GSH, 5-HT, NE, Cx43 expression, and Hsp70 expression in the hippocampal region (p < 0.05). We conclude that FA has neuroprotective effects in PTZ-induced epilepsy, which might be due to attenuation of oxidative stress and Cx43 expression and upregulation of neuroprotective Hsp70 and neurotransmitters (5-HT and NE).