Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a rather common and difficult-to-treat variant of
epilepsy. Nearly one third of people with
epilepsy do not respond effectively to currently available
anticonvulsants. In this study, we evaluated the protective effect of
thymoquinone (TQ), the main constituent of black seed with
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, in the intrahippocampal
kainate model of TLE in rat. Following
kainate injection, seizure activity was observed that was significantly diminished by TQ pretreatment at a dose of 10 mg/kg, p.o. Intrahippocampal
kainate also increased
malondialdehyde (MDA),
nitrite, and
nitrate levels and decreased activity of
superoxide dismutase and TQ only significantly attenuated MDA. In addition, intrahippocampal
kainate caused a significant reduction of neurons in CA1, CA3 and the hilar regions, and TQ significantly attenuated these changes. Timm histochemistry showed a marked mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) in the dentate gyrus of
kainate-lesioned rats, and TQ significantly lowered MFS intensity. Meanwhile, a number of reactive astrocytes (
astrogliosis) increased significantly in the
kainate group, and TQ pretreatment significantly decreased it. These data suggest that TQ pretreatment could attenuate seizure activity and lipid peroxidation, lower hippocampal neuronal loss and MFS, and mitigate
astrogliosis in
kainate model of TLE.