A Elahinia - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Sh Hassanpour - Division of Physiology, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Z Ghotbitabar - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Ginseng is known as the king of all herbs in terms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and recently has become more involved in the treatment of neurological diseases. In this regard, this study aimed to determine the effects of Ginsenosides on pentylenetetrazol-induced epilepsy during the estrus cycle. For this purpose, ۳۰ rats were randomly divided into five groups, namely control (saline), valproic acid (VPA, ۷۵ mg/kg), Ginsenosides (۵۰ mg/kg), Ginsenosides (۱۰۰ mg/kg), and Ginsenosides (۱۵۰ mg/kg) with four subgroups (proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus). Subsequently, the initiation time of myoclonic seizures (ITMS), initiation time of tonic-clonic seizures (ITTS), and seizure duration (SD) were determined. According to the results, ITMS and ITTS significantly increased in the VPA-treated group (P<۰.۰۵). Ginsenosides (۱۰۰ and ۱۵۰ mg/kg) administration significantly increased ITMS and ITTS (P<۰.۰۵). Moreover, the ITMS and ITTS in Ginsenosides-treated rats were significantly higher in luteal phases, compared to the follicular phase (P<۰.۰۵). In addition, pretreatment with VPA significantly decreased SD, compared to the control group (P<۰.۰۵). A significant decrease in SD was observed in the rats pretreated with ginsenosides (۱۰۰ and ۱۵۰ mg/kg) (P<۰.۰۵). Seizure duration significantly decreased in animals that received Ginsenosides in luteal phases, compared to the follicular phase (P<۰.۰۵). These results suggested that Ginsenosides have anticonvulsant effects that are more prominent during the luteal phase than the follicular phase.

Estrus cycle, Ginsenosides, PTZ, rat, Seizure