Abstract
The present study investigates the effects of lacosamide (LCM), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and their polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based conjugates on para[bss1] mutant Drosophila melanogaster, a model for epilepsy. Flies were cultured on standard wheat cream agar medium at 22± 1°C and exposed to three concentrations (2.5, 5, and 10 μg/mL) of each treatment. The size of the AgNPs was noted to be 8.21 ± 0.40 nm. Key life history traits and behavioral assays were assessed. Fecundity and fertility were highest in flies treated with the highest dose of LCM, the middle dose of AgNPs, and the lowest dose of the conjugate, relative to controls. Similarly, survival rates were enhanced in these treatment groups. Behavioral assays revealed that adult flies treated with higher concentrations of LCM, AgNPs, and the conjugate exhibited improved climbing performance, successfully reaching 16 cm within 1 min. Larval crawling assays showed co-ordinated movements in lower dose LCM and AgNPs treated groups, while larvae exposed to the conjugate demonstrated impaired locomotion with circular movement patterns. Ovariole counts across treatments remained within the physiological range (18-43), indicating preserved reproductive potential. Overall, our findings suggest that LCM, AgNPs, and their PEG-conjugates exhibit dose-dependent effects on reproductive and behavioral parameters in para[bss1] mutants, with the conjugate showing differential influence on larval motor coordination. These insights highlight the therapeutic potential and limitations of nanoparticle-assisted drug delivery in neuro-genetic models of epilepsy.
