الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by epileptic
seizures. Epileptic seizures are episodes that can vary from brief and nearly
undetectable to long periods of vigorous shaking. Epilepsy might be induced by
inherited and acquired factors, with the interaction of these factors in many cases.
Despite the increasing number and diversity of antiretroviral drugs, more than 30%
of epilepsy cases are medically intractable. Most available antiepileptic drugs
provide only symptomatic treatment but there is no effect on the course of the
disease.
Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) is a CNS stimulant epileptogenic properties and
have been used to study seizure phenomenon and to identify pharmaceuticals that
may control seizure susceptibility. As a non-competitive GABA antagonist, PTZ
specifically used in seizure assays as a method of assessing the excitability of the
central nervous system and GABA activity.
Valproic acid (VPA) is one of the most widely -used antiepileptic drugs with
broad spectrum activity in partial and generalized seizures and epilepsy and
migraine. Its usefulness may be compromised by adverse effects on the
gastrointestinal, neurological, hematological, and reproductive systems. Hence the
search for effective and safe alternative therapy is an approach for many
researchers around the world.
In this regard, the present study was conducted mainly to determine the
potential role of taurine and pomegranate in the prevention of pentylenetetrazole
epileptic seizures in the albino rats by monitoring the behavior of rats and
measuring some neurotransmitters in the cortex and hippocampus. In addition, the
study examined the possible roles of taurine and pomegranate or their combination in the prevention or reduction of the side effects of valproic acid by measuring the
functions of liver, lipid profile and some antioxidants in the serum.
To achieve the objectives of this study, the experiment was designed as
follows:
The experiment was conducted using 84 male white rats weighing between
200 and 250 grams. The animals were divided into twelve groups, each containing
seven rats.
group 1: Animals of this group were kept on normal standard diet without any
treatment except for the injection of animals with saline solution at the last day of
the experiment and served as control for the treated groups.
group 2: Animals of this group were treated with pomegranate juice for 28days
with oral dose (10 μL/g).
group 3: Animals of this group were treated with taurine oral dose (100mg/kg) for
28 days.
group 4: Animals of this group were treated intraperitoneal (IP) with valproic
acid for 14 days with a high dose (500 mg/kg).
group 5: Animals of this group were treated only with a single IP dose of PTZ (60
mg/kg). This group served as control for PTZ-non treated groups.
group 6: Animals of this group were treated orally with pomegranate juice
(10μL/g) for 28 days and a single IP dose (60 mg/kg) of PTZ at the last day of the
experiment.
group 7: Animals of this group were treated orally with taurine (100mg/kg) for 28
days and a single IP dose (60 mg/kg) of PTZ at the last day of the experiment group 8: Animals of this group were treated IP with valproic acid (500mg/kg) for
14 days and a single IP dose (60mg/kg) of PTZ at the last day of the experiment.
group 9: Animals of this group were treated orally with pomegranate juice
(10μL/g) for 28 days, valproic acid IP (500mg/kg) for the last 14 days and a single
IP dose (60 mg/kg) of PTZ at the last day of the experiment.
group 10: Animals of this group were treated orally with taurine (100mg/kg) for
28 days, pomegranate juice (10μL/g) for 28 days and a single IP dose (60 mg/kg)
of PTZ at the last day of the experiment.
group 11: Animals of this group were treated orally with taurine (100mg/kg) for
28 days, valproic acid IP (500mg/kg) for the last 14 days and a single IP dose (60
mg/kg) of PTZ at the last day of the experiment.
group 12: Animals of this group were treated orally with taurine (100mg/kg) for
28 days, pomegranate juice (10μL/g) for 28 days, valproic acid IP (500mg/kg) for
the last 14 days and a single IP dose (60 mg/kg) of PTZ at the last day of the
experiment.
The following are the main results obtained during this study:
1 - Treatment using taurine with PTZ or valproic acid caused a significant changes
at the level of neuron, which delayed the time of occurrence of epileptic seizures
and reduced duration and also had a significant effect on the neurotransmitters in
both the cortex and the hippocampus compared to rats treated with PTZ or valproic
acid with PTZ.
2- Treatment with pomegranate with PTZ or pomegranate and taurine with PTZ
reduced the duration of nerve attacks, which had a significant effect on neurotransmitters in both cerebral cortex and hippocampus compared with rats
treated with PTZ only.
3 - Double treatment (taurine with valproic acid) or (pomegranate with valproic
acid) or (taurine and pomegranate with valproic acid) have caused significant
effects and reduced the side effects of valproic acid.
Conclusions and recommendations:
The results of the current study indicated that dual treatments based on taurine and
/ or pomegranates with PTZ have an effective role in delaying the onset and
duration of epileptic seizures. The study, also, showed that the use of taurine with
valproic acid is a promising solution to improve the neurological effects of
valproic acid and reduce its side effects with the possibility of reducing the dose
used. In addition, the present study concluded that taurine and pomegranate
showed a protective effect against seizures and behavioral changes induced by
PTZ, and, also, both taurine and pomegranate had significant effects and reduced
the side effects of valproic acid. Therefore, according to the results obtained in this
study, recommendation could be posed on the possibility of using taurine or
pomegranate during the treatment of epileptic cases, taking into account that dual
therapy with taurine was the best choice.