Effect of Atorvastatin on Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Threshold Seizures in Gonadectomized Male Mice

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder that appears as sudden convulsions, and transient, repetitive and unpredictable movement, with sensory-motor and autonomic sources. Statins are a group of blood cholesterol-lowering drugs. According to the results of the anti-inflammatory and vasoprotective effects of statins on cultured brain cells (astrocytes and microglia) and endothelial cells, the purpose of this study was investigating the effect of atorvastatin on pentilentetrazole-induced seizures in gonadectomized male mice.
36 male NMRI mice, weighting 30-35 g were used in the study. The mice were divided into two groups (Each group consisted of 18 mice : healthy and gonadectomized groups. The surgical removal of the testicles was gonadectomy and injections were given intraperitoneally. In gonadectomized group, an operation to remove the testicles was done. The DMSO group (0/3 cc) and treatment group were received Atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and then 30 minutes after that they received PTZ (80 mg/kg) injection. All injections were administered intraperitoneally. After injection of PTZ- duration of seizure onset (threshold) was recorded. The data were analyzed by one way variance analysis and Tukey’s test using SPSS (p In healthy group, receiving Atorvastatin significantly increased the time of seizure onset (threshold) compared to solvent DMSO group and on the other hand gonadectomized mice had a significant reduction in the duration of seizures than normal mice (p The results indicated that the Atorvastatin had anticonvulsant effects and gonadectomy increases seizures.