The Effect of Inflammation on Pentylenetetrazol Induced Seizures in Rats

Introduction: Epilepsy is a common and debilitating neurological disorder associated with reduced quality of life and increased mortality. This study investigated the hypothesis of Traditional Persian Medicine about the effect of local inflammation on seizures using a rat model. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n = 28) were divided into four groups: One control group (CTL) and three experimental groups in which epilepsy was induced 6 (INF-EPI-6), 14 (INF-EPI-14), or 28 days (INF-EPI-28) after carrageenan-induced paw inflammation. Seizures were triggered using intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). Seizure latency, duration, severity, mortality, and serum levels of IL-6 and CRP were assessed. Results: Serum IL-6 levels significantly increased in the experimental groups compared to control (CTL: 7.16 ± 1.88 pg/ml; INF-EPI-6: 24.10 ± 1.61, P < 0.01; INF-EPI-14: 13.32 ± 1.03, P < 0.05; INF-EPI-28: 14.01 ± 1.15, P < 0.05). CRP levels remained unchanged across groups. Seizure severity significantly decreased in INF-EPI-14 (1.14 ± 0.45) vs. control (3 ± 0.37, P < 0.05), though latency and duration showed no significant differences. IL-6 levels were negatively correlated with seizure severity in INF-EPI-6 (P < 0.05), and CRP levels showed a similar correlation in INF-EPI-14 (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Pre-existing peripheral inflammation may reduce seizure severity, partially supporting Jorjani’s theory. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.