BACKGROUND: Seizures are sudden and involuntary disruptions in the brain's electrical activity, causing brief episodes of uncontrolled movements.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the protective anticonvulsant, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra (MEHT) compared with carbamazepine (CBZ) in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure in broiler chicks.

METHODS: Sixty chicks were divided into six groups: negative control (NC) receiving a single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of normal saline (NaCl 0.9%), a positive control (PC) receiving a single s.c. injection of 80mg/kg PTZ, a CBZ- group given 50 mg/kg orally for six days, and three MEHT groups treated orally with 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg for six days. Groups 3-6 were injected with PTZ two hours after the final treatment. Seizure onset and survival rates were recorded to assess anticonvulsant efficacy. Brain tissues were analyzed for neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, oxidative stress markers including malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAO-C), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α).

RESULTS: MEHT delayed seizure onset and reduced the mortality. MEHT significantly (p < 0.05) increased GABA and reduced TNF-α levels at high dose (800 mg/kg), reduced glutamate significantly at all doses, while MDA was decreased at 400 and 800 mg/kg only.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that H. triquetrifolium may serve as a natural alternative neuroprotective or adjunctive therapy for epilepsy due to its anticonvulsant, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.