Effect of Palm Kernel Oil on Plasma Sodium, Potassium and Chloride in Wistar Rats Induced with Febrile Seizures

Abstract

Background: Fever plays an important role in causing disturbances in fluid and electrolyte balance. Hyponatraemia has been thought to enhance susceptibility to seizures associated with febrile illnesses in childhood. Severe hyponatraemia and a non-significant increase in potassium have been reported among children with convulsions attending a paediatric clinic. Electrolyte derangements are commonly encountered in daily clinical practice, and their diagnosis relies on laboratory findings. Complications of electrolyte derangements can range from simple dizziness to severe complications, such as brain damage, heart failure, and neurological manifestations including seizures that require emergency treatment. Aim: This study evaluated whether palm kernel oil (PKO) alters plasma sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations in Wistar rats with experimentally induced febrile seizures. Material and Methods: Forty (40) Wistar rat pups were allocated into eight (8) groups of five (5) rats each. Group A was not induced and received normal saline (negative control). Group B was induced with seizures and received normal saline (positive control). Group C was induced with seizures and treated with the standard drug, diazepam (10 mg/kg), as described by Wang et al. (2018). Groups D, E, F, and G were induced with seizures and treated with 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg of palm kernel oil, respectively. Group H was pre-treated with 5 mg/kg palm kernel oil for three days and then induced with a seizure on the fourth day. Data were analysed using GraphPad Prism version 8.02 (California, USA). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s comparative analysis were used to compare group means. Results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The results for potassium, chloride, and sodium indicated no significant differences in the concentrations of these electrolytes in either the pre-treated or post-treated rats with induced seizures. Conclusion: Palm kernel oil administered before and after seizure induction did not significantly change sodium, potassium, or chloride concentrations in rats receiving 5 mg/kg PKO as pre-treatment and 5–20 mg/kg in the post-treatment groups. The maintenance of these electrolyte concentrations may be related to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of PKO through damage-associated signalling when given prophylactically, possibly by modulating cellular resilience or baseline inflammatory priming.