Valproic acid (VPA) has toxic metabolites that can elevate oxidative stress markers, and the hepatotoxicity of VPA has been reported. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the most widely used antioxidants. The effect of CoQ10 on epileptogenesis and VPA hepatotoxicity were examined. Rats were randomly divided into five groups: the control group received 0.5% methylcellulose by oral gavages daily and saline by intraperitoneal injection three times weekly. The PTZ group received 1% methylcellulose by gavages daily and 30 mg/kg PTZ by intraperitoneal injection three times weekly. The valproic acid group received 500 mg/kg valproic acid by gavage and 30 mg/kg PTZ, as above. The CoQ10 group received 200 mg/kg CoQ10 by gavages daily and 30 mg/kg PTZ, as above. The Valproic acid + CoQ10 group received valproic acid and CoQ10, as above. Results: CoQ10 exhibited anticonvulsant activity and potentiated the anticonvulsant effect of VPA. CoQ10 combined with VPA induced a more significant reduction in oxidative stress and improved the histopathological changes in the brain and liver compared to VPA treatment. In addition, CoQ10 reduced the level of toxic VPA metabolites. These findings suggest that the co-administration of CoQ10 with VPA in epilepsy might have therapeutic potential by increasing antiepileptic activity and reducing the hepatotoxicity of VPA.

The risk of developing epilepsy is strongly linked to peripheral inflammatory disorders in humans. High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) has the most focus for being a suspect in this scenario. The current study aimed to detect the celecoxib effect, an anti-inflammatory drug, on decreasing seizure susceptibility and organ damage in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)/pilocarpine (PILO) pretreated Wistar rats. Rats were divided into 6 groups (8 each): group 1 (control), group 2 (PILO), group 3 (PILO+LPS), group 4 (PILO+LPS+(VPA) Valproic acid), group 5 (PILO+LPS+Celecoxib), and group 6 (PILO+LPS+VPA+Celecoxib). LPS was used to induce sepsis and PILO to induce seizures. Oxidative stress markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and HMGB1 levels in serum and brain homogenate were evaluated. Histopathological studies were conducted on the hippocampus, liver, lung, and kidney. Treatment with celecoxib either alone or in combination with VPA significantly reduced Racine score and delays latency to generalized tonic-clonic seizures onset with a significant decrease in hippocampal levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers, and increase in reduced glutathione. In addition, celecoxib treatment either alone or in combination with VPA suppressed HMGB1translocation into peripheral circulation more than treatment with VPA alone. Furthermore, hippocampus, liver, lung, and kidney histopathological changes were improved in contrast to other epileptic groups. Celecoxib either alone or combined with VPA has antiepileptic and multiorgan protective effects on acute seizures and inflammatory models induced by PILO with LPS. It decreased histopathological findings, oxidative, and inflammatory effects induced by VPA and LPS. This might be due to its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-HMGB1 mediated effects.

Recent findings from septic acute renal injury studies have implicated the mitochondrion as an important factor in kidney injury, and that increased sympathetic nerve activity may contribute to the induction of organ failure. This study investigated the impact of a nondepressor dose of carvedilol, which is a beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist with antioxidant activity, on septic renal injury induced in rats with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Three groups of rats were studied. The first group was the sham-operated control. The other 2 groups of rats underwent CLP, and were administered either the vehicle or carvedilol (2.0 mg/kg body mass, by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, daily for 2 days as well as 30 min prior to CLP). Kidney function, inflammatory parameters, mitochondrial function, and renal perfusion pressure (RPP) were investigated at 6 and 18 h after CLP. Carvedilol did not significantly induce hypotension, and it significantly improved RPP and renal dysfunction induced with CLP, together with significant reductions in serum levels of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Septic kidney injury mediated increased levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls. Carvedilol also attenuated the decrease in kidney mitochondrial glutathione and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate dehydrogenase. Further, intracellular renal edema and inflammation induced with CLP were reduced with carvedilol. These findings suggest renoprotective effects of carvedilol in sepsis.