Electrophysiological evidence for the anticonvulsant effect of alpha-lipoic acid via indirect antioxidant properties in BALB/c mice

Neurol Res. 2013 Sep;35(7):726-33. doi: 10.1179/1743132813Y.0000000188. Epub 2013 Mar 13.

Abstract

Alpha-lipoic acid (alpha-LA) is a strong antioxidant whose effect on epilepsy has not been completely clarified yet. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of alpha-LA on epileptiform activity induced by penicillin in BALB/c mice. In the present study, 56 adult male BALB/c mice were divided into seven groups. Under urethane anesthesia, the mice were injected with intracortical (i.c.) 200 IU penicillin following craniotomy to start epileptiform activity. The effects of alpha-LA on epileptiform activity were examined through the intraperitoneal (i.p.) application of 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg doses. The electrophysiological data have demonstrated that alpha-LA at the 200 mg/kg dose showed an anticonvulsant effect by reducing penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. This effect obtained at the 200 mg/kg dose was determined to emerge 80 minutes after injection (i.p.) and last throughout the experiment. Alpha-LA (400 mg/kg) was appointed as the toxic dose for the BALB/c mice used in this study. The findings of the study indicate that alpha-LA at the 200 mg/kg dose show an anticonvulsant effect by reducing penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. Besides this, the delayed anticonvulsant effect of alpha-LA observed in this study gives the impression that it could result from its indirect antioxidant activity.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticonvulsants / pharmacology*
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects*
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy*
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Thioctic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Thioctic Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Antioxidants
  • Thioctic Acid