Background: Neuronal injury in hippocampus is the most common pathological finding in temporal lobe epilepsy, accounting for approximately 70% of cases in patients with epilepsy. Neuroprotective effects of aspirin have been described in several neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study was to explore effects of aspirin on morphology and number of pyramidal neurons in CA1 and Dentate Gyrus area of hippocampus of rats in kindling model of epilepsy.
Methods: We divided the rats into t hree groups (n=8). Two groups received aspirin (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and saline, one week before and during induction of kindling. Kindling was induced in these groups by administration of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ: 40 mg/kg, ip). The third group received only saline throughout the study and served as health control group. After induction of kindling animals were sacrificed by perfusion with 10% saline solution under anesthesia. Histopathologic study of hippocampus were performed by light microscopy using H&E staining.
Results: A large number of injured pyramidal neurons with pyknotic nuclei and high eosinophilic cytoplasm are seen in CA1 and DG area of hippocampus of epileptic control group. Aspirin group had pyramidal neurons with clear nuclei and less density cytoplasm, similar to health control group (p<0.05). In kindled animals the number of intact pyramidal neurons in these two regions were significantly reduced and this effect was counteracted by aspirin (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Results of present study suggest that aspirin have neuroprotective effect against neuronal damage of hippocampus of kindled animals.