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Abstract

Epilepsy is a neuronal disorder that arises from imbalances of some neurotransmitters and manifests as recurrent seizure and cognitive impairment. Most antiepileptic drugs are either expensive, not effective or are associated with adverse effects warranting efficacious alternatives. This study, therefore, investigated the activity of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schumach.) Taub fruit extract (TTE) on the behaviour and some brain areas of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindling rats. Thirty-five male Wistar rats (150-200 g) were assigned into five groups (1-5, n=7): Control (distilled water); TTE (500 mg/kg); PTZ (40 mg/kg); PTZ (40 mg/kg) pre-treated with either sodium valproate (SV, 200 mg/kg) or TTE (500 mg/kg). All treatments were oral, except for the PTZ (intraperitoneally), and carried out 48 hourly, until kindling was also fully achieved (21 days). Subsequently, there was a beam walking behavioural test, deep anaesthesia and animals' sacrifice, while whole brains were processed for histology. The results showed that seizure was induced with higher mortality in the PTZ group, and was suppressed with higher quantal protection in the PTZ groups pre-treated with either TTE or SV. There was no difference (p>0.05) in beam walk slips and latency. Simultaneously, the PTZ group showed some degenerative cellular changes in the hippocampus and temporal cortex, with significantly (p<0.05) higher cellular density, except in the cerebellum. These cellular changes were either minimal or not apparent in the PTZ groups pre-treated with either TTE or SV compared with the control group. In conclusion, TTE protected against PTZ -induced seizures and brain histopathology of rats, with results similar to the standard anticonvulsant drug, SV.