Anticonvulsant activity of resveratrol-loaded liposomes in vivo

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-stilbenetriol), a natural polyphenol produced by various plants, has attracted attention over the past decade because of its multiple beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and chemopreventive, yet, there is limited information about its antiepileptic effects. Moreover, its poor solubility in water and low bioavailability are the challenging issues. In the present study, we aimed to investigate effects of free resveratrol and resveratrol delivered in amphipathic liposomal delivery system, which has a high blood-brain barrier crossing potential, on penicillin-induced epileptic seizure model. For this purpose, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups as saline (Control), liposome (LIP), free resveratrol (RES) and resveratrol + liposome (RES + LIP). Penicillin-induced epileptic activity was recorded for 120 min by electrocorticography. Glutathione S-transferase (GST), Glutathione (GSH), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) assays were performed in brain tissues collected. Our results showed that RES + LIP was the most effective anticonvulsant treatment on penicillin-induced epileptic seizures when compared to control, as RES + LIP immediately decreased the number of spikes per minute. GST and SOD activity, as well as the GSH levels, were significantly increased in the RES + LIP group as compared with the control group. Also, the MDA levels were significantly higher in the RES + LIP compared to RES and control groups. In conclusion, RES + LIP treatment was more effective on the decrease in spike frequency and spike amplitudes than other treatments. Our results suggest that the RES + LIP is more effective than RES on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity.