Previous research have reported that modulating the gut microbiome composition by fecal microbiota transplantation and probiotic administration can alleviate seizure occurrence and severity. Saccharomyces boulardii (SB) is a yeast probiotic that has demonstrated ameliorating effects on anxiety, memory and cognitive deficit, and brain amyloidogenesis. In this research, our goal was to examine the anti-seizure effects of SB on the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly categorized into four test groups. The rats were orally administered with saline (control and PTZ groups) or S. boulardii (SB + PTZ and SB groups) for 57 days. From the 29th day of the experiment, the animals received intraperitoneally saline (control and SB groups) or PTZ (PTZ and SB + PTZ groups) on alternate days for 30 days. The administration dose of SB and PTZ was 1010 CFU/ml/day and 35 mg/kg, respectively. We assessed animal seizure behavior, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus tissue. S. boulardii hindered the PTZ-induced kindling development. SB treatment elevated glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. SB also lessened the hippocampal levels of BDNF and MMP-9. Following SB supplementation, proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and IL-6 were lowered, and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was enhanced. Overall, our data indicated, for the first time, the positive impact of SB on the PTZ-kindled seizure rat model. The anti-seizure activity of SB was mediated by modulating oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and MMP-9 and BDNF levels.
Keywords: Saccharomyces boulardii; BDNF; Neuroinflammation; Oxidative stress; Pentylenetetrazol; Seizure.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.