Effect of citicoline in experi̇mental acute penicilline epilepsy model

Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system; central nervous system can be expressed as a part or all of the hyperactivation of uncontrollable. The exact cause of the discharges of the nerve cells is not known as there is no complete cure for epilepsy. Aim of this study is to investigate acute effects of citicoline, which has been shown brain injury and Alzheimer's therapeutic effects, on experimental penicillin-induced epilepsy model in rats. In this study 63 adult male Wistar rats were used, and these rats were divided into 9 groups as sham, control (saline), citicoline (non-induced with penicillin), the doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of citicoline before injected penicillin and the doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of citicoline after injected penicillin. All of the substances were administered intraperitoneally except penicillin. After rats were anesthetized with administration of the 1.25 g/kg dose urethane intraperitoneally, the left part of the cortex was opened and the electrodes were placed on somatomotor area. At the 30th minute of citicoline application, epileptiform activity was induced by intracortical (ic) administration of penicillin (500 IU, 2.5 μl) to pre-penicillin groups. At the 30th minute of penicillin application, citicoiline was injected post-penicillin groups. Obtained electrocorticographic (ECoG) data from recordings were analyzed by software. The first spike latency, spike-wave frequency, and spike-wave amplitude of epileptiform activity were analyzed statistically. There were no epileptiform acitivty in sham and citicoline (non-induced with penicillin) groups. Citicoline at the doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg significantly increased the latency time to onset of first spike wave versus control and group (p=0,028). However, comparing spike-wave frequency of epileptiform activity there were no significant difference between the groups pre or post penicillin administration (p>0.05). In addition, comparing spike-wave amplitude of epileptiform activity there were significant difference between the groups at 40-180 minutes from penicillin administration in pre penicillin groups. In after penicillin application groups, there were significant difference between the groups at 10, 90, 100, 120, 150 and 160th minutes from citicoline administration (p<0.05). The results of the present study show that administration of citicoline has protective effect in penicillin induced model of epilepsy in rats.