Abstract:

To investigate the effect of tacrolimus on expressions of nitric oxide (NO)、 nitric oxide synthase (NOS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the protection on neurons in the hippocampus of rats with status epilepticus. Method162 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the epilepsy group, the tacrolimus group and the control group. The epilepsy group and the tacrolimus group were injected with pilocarpine to establish status epilepticus models. The tacrolimus group was also pretreated with tacrolimus at 24h and 1h before pilocarpine injection. The control group only received normal saline. The contents of NO, NOS,  MDA and SOD of the hippocampus were assayed and expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the hippocampus was determined by immunohistochemical techniques. ResultsCompared with the epilepsy group, the contents of NO, NOS and MDA and expression of nNOS of the tacrolimus group were obviously decreased (P＜0.01), activity of SOD was decreased in the first 12?h, but increased after 3?d, and the brain injury was less severe. ConclusionThe nNOS/NO pathway may underlie one of the potential mechanisms of antiepileptic and  tacrolimus produces a protective effect.

Key words:  Tacrolimus; Status epilepticus; Nitricoxide synthase; Hippocampus