Abstracts

Rationale: Oxygen free radical species such as nitric oxide (NO) have been implicated in the development of seizures under some pathological conditions and were involved in seizure-induced neuronal degeneration. However, it has remained elusive how scavenging of free radical species influence on the development of seizures. The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of edaravone, a newly developed radical scavenger, on neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus of amygdala kindling rats and on the development of seizures. Methods: After-discharge (AD) duration and seizure severity were measured to examine the therapeutic effects of edaravone (2mg/kg or 20mg/kg i.p. for 7 days) on the fully kindled seizures or on the kindling development. Furthermore, neuronal cell loss and mossy fiber sprouting in the hippocampus of animals treated with 20mg/kg edaravone during kindling development were examined. Results: Our results showed that high-dose edaravone not only suppressed hippocampal cell loss and seizure-induced axonal sprouting but also retarded seizure development in amygdala kindling rats although it had no effects on fully amygdaloid-kindled seizures. Conclusions: High-dose edaravone possibly suppress an epileptogenesis in the amygdala kindling rats because the agent has neuroprotective effects on the hippocampus and moreover reduces mossy fiber sprouting.