antiepileptic effect of vitamin e on kainic acid-induced temporal lobe epilepsy in rats

background epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease with the prevalence of around one percent. despite the introductions of several anti-epileptic drugs, around 1/3 of epileptic patients are resistant to the anti-epileptic medications. objectives considering the evidence regarding the anti-oxidant action of vitamin e and its beneficiary effect in the treatment of epilepsy, we investigated the anti-convulsive effect of vitamin e in a rat model of kainic acid-induced epilepsy. materials and methods forty male rats were divided to five groups (sham, vit e, epileptic, epileptic treated with vit e and epileptic treated with valproic acid). epilepsy was induced by intra hippocampal injection of 4 microgram of kainic acid. rats receiving daily intraperitoneal injections of vit e (100 mg/kg) or valproic acid (200 mg/kg) in the week preceding the surgery. intensity of epileptic convulsions was graded using racine’s criteria. results no convulsions were observed in the sham-vit e groups. widespread convulsions were observed in the kainic acid-treated group. intensity of convulsions was significantly reduced in the epileptic rats receiving either vit e or valproic acid (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). conclusions pre-treatment with vit e decreases the convulsion intensity in kainic acid-induced epilepsy in rats.