The anti-epileptogenic and cognition enhancing effect of novel 1-[4-(4-benzo [1, 3] dioxol-5-ylmethyl-piperazin-1-yl)-phenyl]-3-phenyl-urea (BPPU) in pentylenetetrazole induced chronic rat model of epilepsy

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder which affects 65 million worldwide population and characterized by recurrent seizure in epileptic patients. Recently, we reported a novel piperonylpiperazine derivative, BPPU “1-[4-(4-benzo [1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl-piperazin-1-yl)- phenyl]-3-phenyl-urea'' as a potent anticonvulsant agent. BPPU has shown excellent anticonvulsant activity in various in-vivo seizure models along with good anti-depressant activity. In this report, we have deeply examined the anti-epileptogenic potential of BPPU in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced kindling model and BPPU effectively reduced seizure episodes in kindled animals upto 35 days. Further, neuroprotective potential of BPPU against PTZ induced neurodegeneration has also been evaluated in hippocampus as well as cortex region by histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. Epileptic patients generally suffer from a range of cognitive impairments. Therefore, the cognition enhancing effect of BPPU was also measured by using well known social recognition test, novel object recognition test, light/dark test and open field test in kindled rat model as well as scopolamine induced memory deficit mice model. Results indicated that BPPU successfully improved cognition deficits in both models. Thus, BPPU appeared as a potent anti-epileptic agent which has also capability to improve cognition decline associated with epilepsy.