Neuroprotection by melatonin from kainate-induced excitotoxicity in rats

In this study, we injected 10 mg/kg kainate i.p. into rats, This resulted in a brain injury, which we quantified in the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the pyriform cortex, Neuronal damage was preceded by a set of typical behavioral signs and by biochemical changes (noradrenaline decrease and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid increase) in the affected brain areas, Melatonin (2.5 mg/kg) was injected i.p. four times: 20 min before kainate, immediately after, and 1 and 2 h after the kainate, The cumulative dose of 10 mg/kg melatonin prevented kainate-induced neuronal death as well as behavioral and biochemical disturbances, A possible mechanism of melatonin-provided neuroprotection Lies in its antioxidant action, Our results suggest that melatonin holds potential for the treatment of pathologies such as epilepsy-associated brain damage, stroke, and brain trauma.