Antiepileptic Effects of Acorus tatarinowii Schott in a Rat Model of Epilepsy: Regulation of Metabolic Axes and Gut Microbiota

Simple SummaryAcorus tatarinowiiSchott (ATS) is a plant-based medicine that has been used historically to manage epilepsy, but its exact mechanisms are still not fully understood. This lack of clarity limits its use in clinical treatments. To explore how ATS might help prevent epilepsy, we used a rat model with chronic epilepsy induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). We analyzed the brain’s chemical makeup using a technique called UPLC/MS and identified key differences with statistical methods like PCA and OPLS-DA. We also looked at the gut bacteria using 16S rRNA sequencing. Our results showed that giving ATS orally (50 mg/kg) significantly improved seizure latency and pathology in epileptic rats. Important factors included changes in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and gut flora. These findings provide a foundation for further research into ATS’s potential as an epilepsy treatment.As a phytotherapeutic agent with historical applications in epilepsy management,Acorus tatarinowiiSchott (ATS) remains pharmacologically enigmatic, particularly regarding its pathophysiological mechanisms. This knowledge gap significantly hinders the clinical application of ATS-based treatments. To explore the potential of ATS in combating epileptogenesis, we utilized a pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced chronic epilepsy rat model. Brain metabolomic analysis was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projections to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were performed for screening differential metabolites. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and examined using Spearman correlation analysis. The results show that oral ATS (50 mg/kg) significantly improved the seizure latency and pathology of rats with epilepsy. Ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and intestinal flora were crucial for ATS’s ability to counteract epilepsy. The therapeutic effects of ATS against epilepsy were investigated with brain metabolomics and gut microbiota analysis, providing the basis for further comprehensive research.