The current study investigated the effects of stevia extracts on a PTZ-induced
epileptic rat model and its potential mechanism. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats
were equally subdivided into 3 groups; (1) normal control (NC) group, (2)
PTZ-group: received PTZ (50 mg/kg, i.p. every other day) for 2 weeks, and (3)
PTZ+ Stevia group: received PTZ and stevia (200 mg/kg orally daily) for 4 weeks
(2 weeks before the start of PTZ treatment and 2 weeks with PTZ administration).
The first jerk latency and the seizure score were assessed in rats. Also, brain
tissue samples were collected by the end of the experiment, and oxidative stress
markers (catalase, MDA, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)) were measured by
biochemical analysis in hippocampal brain homogenates. Also, in the hippocampus,
the expression of IL6 and Bcl-2 at the mRNA level and expression of Sirt-1, P53,
caspase-3, GFAP, and NF-kB in CA3 hippocampal region by immunohistochemistry was
investigated. PTZ substantially increased the seizure score and decreased the
seizure latency. Also, PTZ significantly increased MDA, GFAP, IL-6, NF-kB,
caspase-3, and p53 and significantly reduced Sirt-1, TAC, and Bcl-2 in
hippocampal tissues compared to the control group (p
