Amitriptyline Effects on Pentylentetrazole-Induced Oxidative Stress in Epileptic Male Wistar Rats

Drug-induced epilepsy can be caused by certain medications and chemical agents. Oxidizing agents are among the chemical compounds that cause epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects of amitriptyline on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure in male rats.

In this experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were used. Rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=7): Control (0.5 ml normal saline), PTZ (PTZ, 60 mg/kg), treatment group 1 (PTZ, 60 mg/kg + amitriptyline, 10 mg/kg), treatment group 2 (PTZ, 60 mg/kg+ amitriptyline, 20 mg/kg). All injections were intraperitoneal. At the end of the experiments, the rats were anesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride (50 mg/kg) + xylazine (10 mg/kg) and their blood samples were directly drawn from the heart and then the sera were isolated. Oxidative stress markers such as GPx, MDA, NO and GSH were measured. The results were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test to examine the differences between the groups.

The results of this study showed that the delay in myoclonic jerks increased in the amitriptyline-treated groups compared to the PTZ group. Also, the delay of general tonic-clonic seizures increased in the treated groups compared to the PTZ group. In addition, serum levels of GSH and GPx in the PTZ group showed a significant decrease compared to the control group. Serum levels of MDA and NO in the PTZ group showed a significant increase compared to the control group.

Amitriptyline is able to reduce the seizures induced by PTZ injection in rats. Also, it showed a suppressing effect on some oxidizing agents in this study.