Effects of quercetin and exercise in an experimental model of penicillin-induced epilepsy

Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by persistent seizures due to asynchronized brain activity. Research has proven that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. This study investigates the protective effects of quercetin, a member of the flavonoid class known for its strong antioxidant properties, when administered alongside moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in a penicillin-induced epilepsy model. Fifty-six male Wistar Albino rats, weighing 200-250 grams, were included in the study. The rats were divided into groups: control, diazepam, exercise, quercetin, exercise+diazepam, exercise+quercetin, diazepam+quercetin, and exercise+quercetin+diazepam. The exercise groups underwent a progressive treadmill exercise for 15 minutes, 6 days a week, over 6 weeks. The quercetin groups received 50 mg/kg of quercetin orally by gavage for the same duration. After 6 weeks of pretreatment, epilepsy was induced by administering 2.5 μl intracortical penicillin. The diazepam groups received 5 mg/kg of intraperitoneal diazepam 5 minutes before the penicillin administration. The frequency, amplitude, and latency values of epileptiform activity were recorded using 180-minute ECoG. The recordings of epileptiform activity were divided into five-minute periods to examine intergroup differences. Spike waves related to epileptiform activity appeared between 184–592 seconds post-penicillin administration. Although the latency averages of the exercise+diazepam group were higher compared to other groups, this difference was not statistically significant (P>0,05). Compared to the control group, the number of spike waves and the amplitude of spike waves in the exercise+quercetin group were found to be significantly reduced (P<0,05). The study suggests that regular exercise combined with quercetin supplementation might offer protection against epileptic activity caused by oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant activities.