Background & Objective: Regarding the high prevalence of epileptic seizures, its complications and the necessity to control them, this study was carried out in order to assess the role of progesterone administration in newborn rats on Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling susceptibility after maturity.
Materials & Methods: This experimental study was carried out on 32 newborn Wistar rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups, which are as follows: progesterone-injected females, progesterone-injected males, sesamoid-injected females and sesamoid-injected males. Progesterone and sesamoid groups were injected with progesterone (100 mg/Kg) and sesamoid (100 mg/Kg) respectively. Sixty days after injection chemical kindling in the rats was analyzed by PTZ administration.
Results: Progesterone significantly increased the susceptibility for PTZ kindling in female rats however it did not have a significant effect on seizure parameters in male rats.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that chronic administration of progesterone can only increase susceptibility for chemical kindling in female rats and not in the males.