Demonstration of the effect of brivaracetam on an experimental epilepsy model

Abstract

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of valproic acid (VPA) and a new-generation antiepileptic drugcalled brivaracetam (BRV) on the brain damage occurring after status epilepticus (SE) in rats.Materials and methods: In our study, an experimental animal model of SE, generated by stereotaxically injecting 0.4–2 µg of kainicacid into the rat hippocampus, was used. The laboratory animals were divided into 4 groups: the first group was a sham group thatwas subjected to anesthesia and SE was not induced; the second group was a SE group, in which SE was induced using kainic acid butsubjects were not treated; the third group was the VPA group, in which SE was induced using kainic acid and subjects were treated withVPA; and the fourth group was the BRV group, in which SE was induced using kainic acid and subjects were treated with BRV.Results: Annexin V and p53 levels were statistically higher in the SE group than in the sham group (P 0.001). Following the treatmentwith VPA and BRV, a substantial decrease was observed in the annexin V and p53 levels compared to those of the SE group (P 0.001).There was a statistically significant increase in Bcl-2 levels after VPA and BRV treatment compared to the SE group (P 0.001).Conclusion: Our study showed that VPA and BRV are protective against neuronal damage occurring after SE in rats due to the increasein Bcl-2.