Behavioral and antiepileptic effect of acute administration of the extract of the aquatic plant Echinodorus berteroi (Sprengel) Fassett (upright burhead)

Standardization and Pharmacological Evaluation of Ziziphus mauritiana Extract for Sedative and Anticonvulsant Activity in Mice and Rat

INTRODUCTION

Ziziphus mauritiana, sometimes called Indian jujube or Ber, belongs to the Rhamnaceae group of plants. The aqueous and ethanolic Ziziphus mauritiana formulations were shown to have analgesic, antipyretic, potent analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-emetic properties.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate the sedative and anticonvulsant activities of Ziziphus mauritiana extract by governing 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight orally.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The leaves are extracted with ethanol and lukewarm water with a soxhlet apparatus for 72 hours. After that acute extract toxicity study was performed and then locomotor activity, pentobarbital induced sleeping time and anticonvulsant activity were performed with the extract.

RESULTS

Oral administration of extract at dosages of 200 & 400 mg/kg was employed after an immediate toxicity test. At a dosage of 400 mg/kg, the number of locomotions was reduced significantly lengthened the period of time spent sleeping and there was showed a dosage-dependent reduction in all phases of an epileptic episode.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the extract reduced locomotor activity, however, it had a superior profile for an antiepileptic action than phenytoin since it decreased locomotor activity to a lesser level. The considerable increase in pentobarbitone sleep hours with the extracts at a higher dose supported the sedative action of Z. mauritiana.

Evaluation of the toxicokinetics and apoptotic potential of ethanol extract from Echinodorus macrophyllus leaves in vivo

This study evaluates the toxicological, genotoxic, mutagenic and apoptotic potential of an in vivo assay from Echinodorus macrophyllus extract (EEM). The acute toxicity test used 02 groups (n = 5) of female Wistar rats: negative control group (saline) and experimental group (2000 mg/kg b.w. EEM), both orally administered (gavage) at single doses and monitored for 14 days. To assess the genotoxic, mutagenic and apoptotic potential, 50 male Swiss mice were divided into 5 groups (n = 10): Group I: negative control (saline solution 0.1 ml/10 g b.w.); Group II: positive control (cyclophosphamide 100 mg/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally administered; groups III-V received EEM at 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg b.w., respectively. Groups I, III-V received oral administrations (gavage). The results showed that there was no acute lethality or any signs of acute toxicity, indicating that LD₅₀ is greater than 2000 mg/kg b.w. The groups treated with EEM showed no genotoxic or mutagenic activity and did not induce apoptosis in the liver and kidney. Therefore, EEM showed no acute toxicity and at doses of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg b.w. absence of genotoxicity, mutagenicity and no apoptotic events were observed.

Effects of agomelatine on oxidative stress in the brain of mice after chemically induced seizures

Agomelatine is a novel antidepressant drug with melatonin receptor agonist and 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist properties. We analyzed whether agomelatine has antioxidant properties. Antioxidant activity of agomelatine (25, 50, or 75 mg/kg, i.p.) or melatonin (50 mg/kg) was investigated by measuring lipid peroxidation levels, nitrite content, and catalase activities in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus of Swiss mice pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) (85 mg/kg, i.p.), pilocarpine (400 mg/kg, i.p.), picrotoxin (PTX) (7 mg/kg, i.p.), or strychnine (75 mg/kg, i.p.) induced seizure models. In the pilocarpine-induced seizure model, all dosages of agomelatine or melatonin showed a significant decrease in TBARS levels and nitrite content in all brain areas when compared to controls. In the strychnine-induced seizure model, all dosages of agomelatine and melatonin decreased TBARS levels in all brain areas, and agomelatine at low doses (25 or 50 mg/kg) and melatonin decreased nitrite contents, but only agomelatine at 25 or 50 mg/kg showed a significant increase in catalase activity in three brain areas when compared to controls. Neither melatonin nor agomelatine at any dose have shown no antioxidant effects on parameters of oxidative stress produced by PTX- or PTZ-induced seizure models when compared to controls. Our results suggest that agomelatine has antioxidant activity as shown in strychnine- or pilocarpine-induced seizure models.

Anticonvulsant effects of agomelatine in mice

Agomelatine is a potent MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptor agonist and a 5-HT2C serotonin receptor antagonist. We analyzed whether agomelatine has anticonvulsant properties. The anticonvulsant activity of agomelatine (25, 50 or 75 mg/kg, i.p.) was evaluated in mouse models of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ-85 mg/kg, i.p.), pilocarpine (400mg/kg, i.p.), picrotoxin (7 mg/kg, i.p.), strychnine (75 mg/kg, i.p.) or electroshock-induced convulsions. In the PTZ-induced seizure model, agomelatine (at 25 or 50mg/kg) showed a significant increase in latency to convulsion, and agomelatine (at 50 or 75 mg/kg) also increased significantly time until death. In the pilocarpine-induced seizure model, only agomelatine in high doses (75 mg/kg) showed a significant increase in latency to convulsions and in time until death. In the strychnine-, electroshock- and picrotoxin-induced seizure models, agomelatine caused no significant alterations in latency to convulsions and in time until death when compared to controls. Our results suggest that agomelatine has anticonvulsant activity shown in PTZ- or pilocarpine-induced seizure models.

Sedative, antiepileptic and antipsychotic effects of Viscum album L. (Loranthaceae) in mice and rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Viscum album L. is claimed in traditional medical practice, to be useful in the treatment of epilepsy and insomnia in Himachal Pradesh, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effect of Viscum album L. on epilepsy, psychosis and sedative activity was evaluated in mice and rats using standard procedure.

RESULTS

The aqueous leaf extract of Viscum album L. prolonged the pentobarbital induced sleeping time and reduced the locomotor activity in actophotometer. This suggests that reduced locomotor activity facilitate GABAergic transmission. In addition the extract reduced MES, INH and PTZ-induced convulsions which suggest that there may be possibility of blocking Na(+) channels, opening of Cl(-) channels or enhancing the GABAergic system. The extract decreased the apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior and potentiates the HAL-induced cataleptic score which suggests the extract possess antidopaminergic activity.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained in present study suggested that title plant exhibited sedative, antiepileptic and antipsychotic activity in mice and rats.

Phytoremediation of ethylene glycol and its derivatives by the burhead plant (Echinodorus cordifolius (L.)): effect of molecular size

Ethylene glycol (EG) is a group of dihydroxy alcohol that has been utilised in a variety of industrial and residential settings. EG contaminated wastewater has a high chemical oxygen demand (COD), which causes environmental problems. The aim of this research was to investigate the efficiency of the burhead plant (Echinodorus cordifolius (L.)) in the removal of mono-, di- and triethylene glycol (MEG, DEG and TEG), the first three members of the dihydroxy alcohol group, from synthetic wastewaters, to examine the toxic effect of EG on the plant and to identify differences among MEG, DEG, and TEG removal. It was found that the COD of synthetic wastewaters decreased to levels below the standard effluent (COD=120 mg L⁻¹) on day 18, 21 and 33 for MEG, DEG and TEG, respectively. On day 18 of the experiment, the burhead plant removed approximately 2000, 1950 and 730 mg L⁻¹ of MEG, DEG and TEG, respectively. The removal rate of MEG was faster than that of DEG and TEG, suggesting that the molecular size of the EG had affected its rate of removal. The concentrations of MEG, DEG, and TEG in plant tissue were measured to show that burhead can take up EG, and the major site of EG accumulation is the leaf. The molar of MEG that was taken up into the plant leaf was higher than that of DEG and TEG. This suggested that EG of smaller molecular sizes can be taken up more rapidly by the plant than EG of larger molecular sizes. EG concentrations in the leaf increased to a peak concentration and then slowly decreased. GC-MS analysis of DEG-treated plant tissue found MEG, 1,4-dioxan-2-one, neophytadiene, and 2-propenamide, that may be DEG-degradation products and/or compounds that are induced when plants are exposed to DEG. The result indicates that burhead can potentially be used for EG removal.