antiepileptic and antioxidant effect of brassica nigra on pentylenetetrazol-induced kindling in mice

considering the high rate of epilepsy today, with respect to the insufficiency of the available therapies, new strategies and methods are recommended for medical treatment of epileptic patients. therefore, the present study experimentally investigated the anticonvulsant effect of a herbal medicine candidate brassica nigra, by using kindling method. sixty male mice were randomly selected and divided into six experimental groups (n = 10) including: 1-control, 2-pentylentetrazole (ptz)-kindled mice, 3-positive control group received valproate (100 mg/kg) as anti-convulsant drug, 4-5 and 6 received brassica nigra seed extract in three doses (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg; ip). all groups except for the control ones were kindled by 11 period injections of ptz (35 mg/kg; ip). in the 12th injection, all groups except for the control group were tested for ptz challenge dose (75 mg/kg). however, the exhibited phases of seizure (0-6) were observed and noted till 30 min after the ptz injection. at last, the brains of all the mice were removed and then malondialdehyde (mda), superoxide dismutase (sod) and nitric oxide (no) levels of the brain tissues were determined. statistical analysis of the data shows that the seed extract could reduce the intensity, improvement and duration of seizure. in addition, the brassica nigra extract increased the sod and no levels and decreased the mda level in the brain tissues. attained results show that the extract of brassica nigra seed can be used in grand mal seizure treatment. moreover, the antiepileptic effect of this extract is probably caused by its antioxidant properties and acts via enzyme activity mechanism.