Evaluation of the antiepileptic effect of curcumin and Nigella sativa oil in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy in comparison with valproate

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin and Nigella sativa oil (NSO) on amino acid neurotransmitter alterations and the histological changes induced by pilocarpine in the hippocampus and cortex of rats. Epilepsy was induced by i.p. injection of pilocarpine, and the animals were left for 22 days to establish spontaneous recurrent seizures. They were then treated with curcumin, NSO or valproate for 21 days. Pilocarpine induced a significant increase in hippocampal aspartate and a significant decrease in glycine and taurine levels. In the cortex, a significant increase in aspartate, glutamate, GABA, glycine, and taurine levels was obtained after pilocarpine injection. Treatment of pilocarpinized rats with curcumin and valproate ameliorated most of the changes in amino acid concentrations and reduced the histopathological abnormalities induced by pilocarpine. N. sativa oil failed to improve the pilocarpine-induced abnormalities. This may explain the antiepileptic effect of curcumin and suggest its use as an anticonvulsant.

► Neurochemical and histopathological changes are induced in rat model of epilepsy. ► Treatment of animal model with curcumin and Nigella sativa oil improves seizures. ► Comparison of the results of curcumin and Nigella sativa oil with valproate. ► Curcumin improves the histopathological and neurochemical changes. ► Nigella sativa oil fails to restore the changes induced in rat model of epilepsy.