Effect of tetramethylpyrazine on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant level in the brain of the developing rats following recurrent seizures

OBJECTIVE To investitage the effect of tetramethylpyrazine on malondialdehyde(MDA),super oxidedismutase(SOD) and total antioxidative capability(T-AOC) in the hippocampus and water content of brain tissues of the developing rats following recurrent seizures.METHODS 162 postnatal Sprague-Dawley rats of 20-day old were randomly divided into three groups: the control group,the seizure group and the tetramethylpyrazine treated group.Seizure model of rats were induced by inhalant flurothyl daily in 6 consecutive days.Brain tissue was sampled after 6 hours,1 day,3 days and 7days in each group after last seizure,and the content of MDA,SOD activity and the level of T-AOC were detected.At the same time,the water content was detected and the pathological changes in the hippocampus of rats were observed after recurrent seizures and the brain injury was evaluated by using a semiquantitative neuropathological scoring system.RESULTS In tetramethylpyrazine treated group,the activity of SOD and the level of T-AOC in the hippocampus at different time points were much higher than those in seizure group(P0.01),while the content of MDA,water content of brain tissues and europathological score were obviously lower than those in seizure group(P0.01);edema,degeneration and necrosis of nerve cells in the hippocampus of the rat were also significantly decreased.CONCLUSION The protective effect of tetramethylpyrazine on the developing brain injury induced by seizures is probably related to raising of activity of SOD and the level of T-AOC,and decreasing of the content of MDA in the hippocampus.