Icariin ameliorates the cognitive function in an epilepsy neonatal rat model by blocking the GluR2/ERK I/II pathway

The present study was performed to evaluate the protective effects of icariin on cognitive function in a hypoxia-induced neonatal epilepsy rat model. Neonatal epilepsy was induced in rat pups on postnatal day (PD) 20 by induction of hypoxia for 15 minutes. Rats were treated intraperitoneally with icariin at 75 mg/kg 1 hour before the induction of hypoxia. The effects of icariin were examined by estimating seizure stage, cognitive function and parameters of electroencephalography (EEG) in this neonatal epilepsy rat model. Parameters of oxidative stress and expression of proteins were examined in the brain tissue of the neonatal epilepsy rat model by histopathological study and Western blotting analysis, respectively. The results of this study suggest that treatment with icariin ameliorates the changes in seizure stage, number of seizures and parameters of EEG in hypoxia-induced neonatal epilepsy rats. Oxidative stress and apoptosis were decreased in the brain tissue of the icariin treatment group compared to the hypoxia group. Moreover, treatment with icariin ameliorated the altered expression of glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit 2 (GluR2) and extracellular receptor kinase (ERK I/II) proteins in the brain tissue of hypoxia-induced epilepsy rats. Histopathological study also showed that icariin treatment improved the histopathology of brain tissue of hypoxia-induced epilepsy rats. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that icariin protects against neuronal injury and improves cognitive function in hypoxia-induced neonatal epilepsy rats by modulating the GluR2/ERK I/II pathway.