Therapeutic Efficacy of Lavandula dentata’s Oil and Ethanol Extract in Regulation of the Neuroinflammation, Histopathological Alterations, Oxidative Stress, and Restoring Balance Treg Cells Expressing FoxP3+ in a Rat Model of Epilepsy

Abstract

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Despite the availability of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) that can manage seizures, they often come with cognitive side effects. Furthermore, the role of oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory responses in epilepsy and the limitations of current AEDs necessitate exploring alternative therapeutic options. Medicinal plants, e.g., <i>Lavandula dentata</i> L., are rich in phenolic compounds and may provide neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory benefits. However, limited research evaluates their effectiveness in modulating neuroinflammation and histopathological changes in epilepsy models. Therefore, the current study hypothesized that treating <i>Lavandula dentata</i> L. extract or essential oils may reduce neuroinflammatory responses and mitigate histopathological changes in the brain, providing a natural alternative or adjunct therapy for epilepsy management. <b>Methods</b>: Five groups of male Wistar rats were used: control, pilocarpine-treated epileptic, valproic acid (VPA-treated epileptic), <i>L. dentata</i> extract, and essential oils. Numerous electrolyte levels, monoamine levels, neurotransmitter levels, and the mRNA expression of specific gate channel subtypes were evaluated in homogenate brain tissue. Additionally, histological changes in various brain regions were investigated. <b>Results</b>: The investigation revealed that the extract and essential oils obtained from <i>L. dentata</i> L. exhibited the ability to improve the modulation of electrolytes and ions across voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels. Furthermore, it was revealed that they could decrease neuronal excitability by facilitating repolarization. Moreover, <i>L. dentata's</i> oil and ethanol extract re-balances T-reg/Th-17 cytokines, restoring the pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and Treg markers, e.g., FOXP3 and CTLA-4, to their normal level. <b>Conclusions</b>: The present work confirms that the extract and essential oils of <i>L. dentata</i> L. have different activities to ameliorate the progression of histopathological alterations. Therefore, when used in conjunction with other AEDs, the extract and essential oils of <i>L. dentata</i> can slow the progression of epileptogenesis.