Protection by Nano-Encapsulated Bacoside A and Bacopaside I in Seizure Alleviation and Improvement in Sleep- In Vitro and In Vivo Evidences

Therapeutic options to contain seizures, a transitional stage of many neuropathologies, are limited due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Herbal nanoparticle formulations can be employed to enhance seizure prognosis. Bacoside A (BM3) and bacopaside I (BM4) were isolated from Bacopa monnieri and synthesized as nanoparticles (BM3NP and BM4NP, respectively) for an effective delivery system to alleviate seizures and associated conditions. After physicochemical characterization, cell viability was assessed on mouse neuronal stem cells (mNSC) and neuroblastoma cells (N2a). Thereafter, anti-seizure effects, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptosis, immunostaining and epileptic marker mRNA expression were determined in vitro. The seizure-induced changes in the cortical electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep were monitored in vivo in a kainic acid (KA)-induced rat seizure model. The sizes of BM3NPs and BM4NPs were 165.5 nm and 689.6 nm, respectively. They were biocompatible and also aided in neuroplasticity in mNSC. BM3NPs and BM4NPs depicted more than 50% cell viability in N2a cells, with IC50 values of 1609 and 2962 µg/mL, respectively. Similarly, these nanoparticles reduced the cytotoxicity of N2a cells upon KA treatment. Nanoparticles decreased the expression of epileptic markers like fractalkine, HMGB1, FOXO3a and pro-inflammatory cytokines (P < 0.05). They protected neurons from apoptosis and restored MMP. After administration of BM3NPs and BM4NPs, KA-treated rats attained a significant reduction in the epileptic spikes, sleep latency and an increase in NREM sleep duration. Results indicate the potential of BM3NPs and BM4NPs in neutralizing the KA-induced excitotoxic seizures in neurons.