Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Protective effect of Wuling mycelia, alone and in combination with valproic acid, on pentylenetetrazol-induced epilepsy in rats

Liming Wei¹, Boqun Cao², Chen Jia¹, Rui Zhang³, Yuting Liu³, Yujun Qiao³, Xi Hua³, Haisheng Jiao¹

¹Department of Pharmaceutics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Cui Ying Men No. 80, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province; ²dMed Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Xiangke Road No. 298, Pudong 201210, Shanghai; ³School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang West Road No. 199, Lanzhou 730020, PR China.

For correspondence:- Haisheng Jiao Email: haisjiao@163.com Tel:+8613609385590

Accepted: 16 December 2020 Published: 31 January 2021

Citation: Wei L, Cao B, Jia C, Zhang R, Liu Y, Qiao Y, et al. Protective effect of Wuling mycelia, alone and in combination with valproic acid, on pentylenetetrazol-induced epilepsy in rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2021; 20(1):135-143 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v20i1.20

© 2021 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the inhibitory effects of Wuling mycelia, alone and in combination with valproic acid (VPA) on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced epileptic seizure in rats, and their protective effects on cognitive impairment.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (sham), model, Wuling mycelia, VPA and combination groups. Rats in Wuling mycelia group were given oral Wuling mycelia alone at a dose of 594 mg/kg, while those in VPA group were given oral VPA alone at a dose of 189 mg/kg. In the combination group, rats received oral VPA at a dose of 189 mg/kg co-administered with Wuling mycelia at a dose of 594 mg/kg. One hour after the treatments, the control group was injected with physiological saline intraperitoneally, while the other four groups were injected with PTZ solution once a day for 28 days. Subsequently, seizure intensity, cognitive impairment, neuronal loss and hippocampal expressions of IL-1β, NF-?B/p65 and TLR4 were determine in all groups.

Results: Combined use of Wuling mycelium and VPA significantly reduced the frequency and the grade of seizures (p <0.01), and also decreased the degree of cognitive impairment (p <0.05). There were marked increases in neuronal damage and hippocampal expression levels of NF-?B/p65, TLR4 and IL-1β (inflammatory cytokines) in the model group (p < 0.05). However, these changes were reversed in the combination treatment group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Wuling mycelia is a potentially effective adjunct drug for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. The underlying mechanism might involve downregulations of NF-?B/p65, TLR4 and IL-1β.

Keywords: Wuling mycelia, Refractory epilepsy, Seizure, Traditional Chinese medicine, Hippocampal area, HMGB1/TLR4/NF-?B signalling pathway, IL-1?, NF-?B/p65, T