Catalase and α-tocopherol attenuate blood-brain barrier breakdown in pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizures in acute hyperglycaemic rats

Experimental data indicate that acute hyperglycaemia can aggravate the consequences of epileptic seizures on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of chronic administration of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) and acute catalase administration on the disrupted BBB during experimentally pentylenetetrazole-induced status epilepticus in acute hyperglycaemic rats. The integrity of the BBB was tested using the Evans Blue (EB) dye extravasation. The concentration of EB dye was measured in four regions of the brain. Epileptic seizures induced a significant increase in EB dye extravasation in the brain regions compared with that of the groups of rats treated with saline, glucose, catalase and alpha-tocopherol (P < 0.01). The content of EB dye in the brain regions of animals in the acute hyperglycaemia plus epileptic group was higher than that of the saline, glucose, catalase, alpha-tocopherol and epileptic groups (P < 0.01). The increased EB dye transfer from blood to the brain in status epilepticus and acute hyperglycaemia plus status epilepticus was attenuated by the treatment with catalase and alpha-tocopherol. These data suggest that a partial reduction in the production of reactive oxygen species by catalase and alpha-tocopherol contributes to decreases in the content of EB dye across the BBB during pentylenetetrazole-induced status epilepticus in acute hyperglycaemic rats. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.