Preventive effect of Coriandrum sativum on neuronal damages in pentylentetrazole-induced seizure in rats

OBJECTIVE: Coriandrum sativum (C. sativum) as a medicinal plant has been pointed to have analgesic, hypnotic and anti-oxidant effects. In the current study, a possible preventive effect of the hydro-alcoholic extract of the plant on neuronal damages was examined in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) rat model of seizure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty male rats were divided into five main groups and treated by (1) saline, (2) PTZ: 100 mg/kg PTZ (i.p) and (3-5) 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of hydro-alcoholic extract of C. sativum during seven consecutive days before PTZ injection. After electrocorticography (ECoG), the brains were removed to use for histological examination. RESULTS: All doses of the extract reduced duration, frequency and amplitude of the burst discharges while prolonged the latency of the seizure attacks (p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.001). Administration of all 3 doses of the extract significantly prevented from production of dark neurons (p<0.01, and p<0.001) and apoptotic cells (p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.001) in different areas of the hippocampus compared to PTZ group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study allow us to conclude that C. sativum, because of its antioxidant properties, prevents from neuronal damages in PTZ rat model of seizure.