Alpha-Pinene Decreases the Elevated Levels of Astrogliosis, Pyroptosis, and Autophagy Markers in the Hippocampus Triggered by Kainate in a Rat Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

The development and progression of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are heavily influenced by inflammation, excessive activation of glial cells, and neuronal cell death. This study aimed to investigate the effects of treatment with alpha-pinene (APN) on pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, astrogliosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy markers in the hippocampus in a rat model of TLE induced by kainic acid (KA). Male Wistar rats were employed, and TLE was induced by intracerebroventricular injection of KA. APN (50 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered for 19 days, including two weeks before and five days after the administration of KA. After full recovery from anesthesia and KA injection, the seizure-related behavioral expressions were evaluated. On day 19, the hippocampal levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, progranulin, IL-10, ERK1/2, phospho-ERK1/2, NF-κB, GFAP, S100-B, NLRP1, NLRP3, caspase-1, and becline-1 were examined. The results revealed that treatment with APN significantly diminished the heightened levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, progranulin, ERK1/2, and NF-κB and reversed the reduced levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, in the hippocampus caused by KA. Furthermore, administration of APN significantly reduced the levels of astrogliosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy markers in the hippocampus that were elevated by KA. It can be concluded that treatment with APN for 19 days alleviated neuroinflammation by inhibiting ERK1/2 and NF-κB signaling pathways and prevented increases in astrogliosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy markers in the hippocampus in a rat model of TLE.