Effects of Ghrelin on Brain and Serum Inflammatory Parameters in PTZ-Kindling Model in Rats

It is well known that inflammation has a significant function in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. This research study that comprised an evaluation of the possible anti-inflammatory properties of dose dependent ghrelin treatment on serum and brain tissues of PTZ-kindled rats. The rats were randomly separated into six different groups, comprising the control, chronic epilepsy (SAL + PTZ, saline + pentylenetetrazole), epilepsy and diazepam (DZ + PTZ, diazepam+pentylenetetrazole), and epilepsy and ghrelin groups (GR20 + PTZ, GR40 + PTZ, and GR80 + PTZ, ghrelin at the doses of 20, 40, or 80 µg/kg + pentylenetetrazole). Serum and brain levels of interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined by ELISA method using a commercial kit. Serum IL-1β levels were significantly increased in SAL + PTZ and DZ + PTZ when a comparison was made with the control. Serum levels of IL-1β of the control group were determined to be similar to those in the GR20 + PTZ. There were significantly lower serum levels of IL-1β in the GR40 + PTZ and the GR80 + PTZ groups when a comparison was made with the control, the SAL + PTZ, and the DZ + PTZ groups. There were significantly lower serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the GR40 + PTZ and the GR80 + PTZ when a comparison was made with the SAL + PTZ. In brain samples, IL-6 and IL-1β levels of ghrelin groups were partially lower than those of SAL + PTZ and DZ + PTZ groups. However, this decrease was insignificant. In conclusion, it may be suggested that ghrelin treatment has anti-inflammatory effects in chronic epilepsy model in rats.