Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Rosa damascena on Hippocampal Tissue Changes in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Rats

Temporal lobe epilepsy is characterized by the degeneration of hippocampal neurons and the sprouting of mossy fibers in the dentate area. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the hydroalcoholic extract of Rosa damascene on hippocampal tissue changes induced by kainic acid-induced epilepsy in rats.

In this experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats weighing between 185-225 grams were used. The animals were divided into four groups: sham group, sham treated with hydroalcoholic extract, epilepsy (kainic acid), and epilepsy pretreated with hydroalcoholic extract. Kainic acid was used for intra-hippocampal and unilateral injection to induce epilepsy in the animals at 0.8 micrograms per rat. The rats were given 500 mg/kg of the extract intraperitoneally daily for one week before surgery. Five weeks after surgery, thionin and Tim staining methods were performed on the hippocampal slices.

Kainic acid-induced epilepsy resulted in convulsive behavior, and pretreatment with the hydroalcoholic extract significantly reduced the intensity of convulsive attacks (P<0.05). The density of neurons in the CA3 area of the hippocampus in the kainic acid group showed a significant decrease compared to the sham group (P<0.05), while pretreatment with the extract caused a significant increase in the number of neurons in this area compared to the kainic acid group. Additionally, a significant increase in the intensity of mossy fiber sprouting was observed in epileptic rats compared to the sham group, and pretreatment with the extract significantly decreased its intensity (P<0.05).

The pre-treatment with the hydroalcoholic extract of Rosa damascena decreased convulsive behavior, protected hippocampal CA3 neurons and reduced the intensity of sprouting in the hippocampal dentate region in the experimental model of temporal lobe epilepsy induced by kainic acid.