title: Acute effect of an extract of Ambrosia paniculata (Willd.) O. E. Schultz (mugwort) in several models of experimental epilepsy.
abstract: The acute effect of Ambrosia paniculata was studied in several animal models of epilepsy. Intraperitoneal injections (0.01 mL/g body wt) of a decoction of the dry leaves significantly enhanced the latency to the first convulsion and survival time in mice injected with picrotoxin (7 mg/kg) or isoniazid (210 mg/kg). Epileptic spikes were induced by topical application of penicillin through a glass electrode filled with a penicillin-agar-saline mixture and recorded in sensorimotor and occipital cortices, in rats immobilized with d-tubocurarine. The plant decoction reduced significantly the spike amplitude in both sites. The mentioned effects were elicited at doses that also reduced general motor activity (Irwin test) and exploratory behavior. The decoctions were not effective against electroshock-induced convulsions in mice. The convulsions induced by isoniazid, picrotoxin, and penicillin differed from those induced by electroshock implicating selective disruption of GABAergic neurotransmission. The results suggest that A. paniculata, like several conventional antiepileptic drugs, might act by enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission, a hypothesis that requires further demonstration. These results explain and justify the traditional use of the plant in epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Experimental Neurology, Ciudad Habana, Cuba. cebimar@infomed.sld.cu
authors.forename: María T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Buznego
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pérez-Saad
mesh_terms: D031164:Ambrosia / Q000737:chemistry*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004597:Electroshock / Q000009:adverse effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D007538:Isoniazid; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010406:Penicillins; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010852:Picrotoxin; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014403:Tubocurarine
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003975:Diazepam; D007538:Isoniazid; D010406:Penicillins; D010852:Picrotoxin; D028321:Plant Preparations; D014403:Tubocurarine