Journal of Basic and Clinical Pathophysiology

Journal of Basic and Clinical Pathophysiology

The effect of hydroalcoholic Anethum graveolens extract on hippocampal markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mehrdad Roghani 1
Tourandokht Baluchnejadmojarad 2
Sara Amirian 3
1 School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3 Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22070/jbcp.2025.20092.1196
Abstract
Background and Objective: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological disease with no effective treatment and is the most common form of focal epilepsy in adults and is usually resistant to conventional drug treatments. Enhanced oxidative stress and inflammation are important markers of TLE as a result of limbic system involvement. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Anethum graveolens (Dill) with known antiepileptic properties on hippocampal markers of oxidative and inflammatory events in kainate rat model of TLE.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: Sham, sham receiving Dill extract, epileptic, and epileptic receiving Dill extract. Kainic acid was used to induce epileptic seizures in animals. Dill extract at 400 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally daily, starting one week before surgery and ending one hour before surgery. In the first twenty-four hours after surgery, seizure behavior was recorded and scored based on Racine classification. At the end of the study, oxidative and inflammatory markers were measured in the hippocampal tissue.
Results: The results of this study showed that kainic acid injection significantly increases seizure severity and hippocampal malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and decreased catalase activity and pretreatment with Dill extract in the epileptic group significantly reduced seizure behavior and hippocampal MDA, TNFα, and COX-2 and improved catalase activity.
Conclusion: Pretreatment with Dill extract reduces seizure intensity and lowers hippocampal oxidative stress and inflammation in the kainate epileptic rats.
Keywords
Temporal lobe epilepsy
Kainate
Anethum graveolens
Cyclooxygenase-2
Inflammation
Oxidative stress
1.            Patel P, Moshé SL. The evolution of the concepts of seizures and epilepsy: What's in a name? Epilepsia Open 2020;5(1):22–35.
2.            Kaculini CM, Tate-Looney AJ, Seifi A. The History of Epilepsy: From Ancient Mystery to Modern Misconception. Cureus 2021;13(3):e13953.
3.            Aguiar CC, Almeida AB, Araújo PV, de Abreu RN, Chaves EM, do Vale OC, et al. Oxidative stress and epilepsy: literature review. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2012;2012:795259.
4.            Fabisiak T, Patel M. Crosstalk between neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in epilepsy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022;10:976953.
5.            Lévesque M, Avoli M. The kainic acid model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 2013;37(10 Pt 2):2887–99.
6.            Ramazi S, Fahanik-Babaei J, Mohamadi-Zarch S-M, Tashakori-Miyanroudi M, Nourabadi D, Nazari-Serenjeh M, et al. Neuroprotective and anticonvulsant effects of sinomenine in kainate rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy: Involvement of oxidative stress, inflammation and pyroptosis. Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy 2020;108:101800.
7.            Nesari A, Mardani E, Goudarzi M, Sabbagh S, Nooshabadi MR, Bakhtiari N, et al. The antioxidant and anticonvulsant effects of ellagic acid in kainic acid-induced temporal lobe epilepsy in mice. Tissue Cell 2025;95:102889.
8.            Wang X, Yang C, Yang L, Zhang Y. Modulating the gut microbiota ameliorates spontaneous seizures and cognitive deficits in rats with kainic acid-induced status epilepticus by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress. Front Nutr 2022;9:985841.
9.            He X, Chen X, Yang Y, Xie Y, Liu Y. Medicinal plants for epileptic seizures: Phytoconstituents, pharmacology and mechanisms revisited. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2024;320:117386.
10.          Challal S, Skiba A, Langlois M, Esguerra CV, Wolfender J-L, Crawford AD, et al. Natural product-derived therapies for treating drug-resistant epilepsies: From ethnopharmacology to evidence-based medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2023;317:116740.
11.          Sadeghi M, Kabiri S, Amerizadeh A, Heshmat-Ghahdarijani K, Masoumi G, Teimouri-Jervekani Z, et al. Anethum graveolens L. (Dill) Effect on Human Lipid Profile: An Updated Systematic Review. Current Problems in Cardiology 2022;47(11):101072.
12.          Brinsi C, Jedidi S, Sammari H, Selmi H, Sebai H. Antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Anethum graveolens L. fruit extract on castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats. Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2024;36(11):e14892.
13.          Oshaghi EA, Khodadadi I, Tavilani H, Goodarzi MT. Aqueous Extract of Anethum Graveolens L. has Potential Antioxidant and Antiglycation Effects. Iran J Med Sci 2016;41(4):328–33.
14.          Hadi N, Drioiche A, Bouchra EM, Baammi S, Abdelaziz Shahat A, Tagnaout I, et al. Phytochemical Analysis and Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils and Seed Extracts of Anethum graveolens from Southern Morocco: In Vitro and In Silico Approach for a Natural Alternative to Synthetic Preservatives. Pharmaceuticals 2024;17(7):862.
15.          Mesripour A, Rafieian-Kopaei M, Bahrami B. The effects of Anethum graveolens essence on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2016;11(2):145–51.
16.          Sharma H, Yang H, Sharma N, An SSA. Neuroprotection by Anethum graveolens (Dill) Seeds and Its Phytocompounds in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cell Lines and Acellular Assays. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024;25(13):7104.
17.          Maodaa S, Ajarem JS, Alruhaimi RS, Allam AA, Altoom NG, Mahmoud AM. Perinatal nicotine-induced neurotoxicity and behavioral alterations in newborn mice are associated with oxidative stress, inflammation and downregulated Nrf2/HO-1 signaling: protective role of Anethum graveolens. J Mol Histol 2025;56(3):179.
18.          Shafaei N, Barkhordar SMA, Rahmani F, Nabi S, Idliki RB, Alimirzaei M, et al. Protective Effects of Anethum graveolens Seed's Oil Nanoemulsion Against Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress in Mice. Biol Trace Elem Res 2020;198(2):583–91.
19.          Golmohammadi R, Sabaghzadeh F, Mojadadi MS. Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Anethum graveolens leaves on the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in the epileptic mice: a histopathological and immunohistochemical study. Res Pharm Sci 2016;11(3):227–32.
20.          Rostampour M, Ghaffari A, Salehi P, Saadat F. Effects of Hydro-alcoholic Extract of Anethum Graveolens Seed on Pentylenetetrazol-induced Seizure in Adult Male Mice. Basic Clin Neurosci 2014;5(3):199–204.
21.          Arash A, Mohammad MZ, Jamal MS, Mohammad TA, Azam A. Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Anethum graveolens Leaves on Seizure Induced by Pentylenetetrazole in Mice. Malays J Med Sci 2013;20(5):23–30.
22.          Antar A, Abdel-Rehiem ES, Al-Khalaf AA, Abuelsaad ASA, Abdel-Gabbar M, Shehab GMG, et al. Therapeutic Efficacy of Lavandula dentata's Oil and Ethanol Extract in Regulation of the Neuroinflammation, Histopathological Alterations, Oxidative Stress, and Restoring Balance Treg Cells Expressing FoxP3+ in a Rat Model of Epilepsy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) 2024;18(1).
23.          Haruna AK. Depressant and anticonvulsant properties of the root decoction of Afrormosia laxiflora (Leguminosae). Phytotherapy Research 2000;14(1):57–9.
24.          Jana S, Shekhawat GS. Anethum graveolens: An Indian traditional medicinal herb and spice. Pharmacognosy Reviews 2010;4(8):179–84.
25.          Naseri MKG, Heidari A. Antispasmodic Effect of Anethum graveolens Fruit Extract on Rat Ileum. IJP 2007;3(3):260–4.
26.          Nam HH, Nan L, Choo BK. Anti-Inflammation and Protective Effects of Anethum graveolens L. (Dill Seeds) on Esophageal Mucosa Damages in Reflux Esophagitis-Induced Rats. Foods 2021;10(10).
27.          Abbasi E, Goodarzi MT, Tayebinia H, Saidijam M, Khodadadi I. Favorable effects of Anethum graveolens on liver oxidative stress and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase levels in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rat models. Metabol Open 2021;12:100140.
28.          Sankaraneni R, Lachhwani D. Antiepileptic drugs--a review. Pediatr Ann 2015;44(2):e36–42.
29.          Kazemi M. Phenolic profile, antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory activity of Anethum graveolens L. essential oil. Nat Prod Res 2015;29(6):551–3.
Journal of Basic and Clinical Pathophysiology
Volume 14, Issue 2
January 2026
Pages 55-64