Anticonvulsant effect of wogonin isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis.
In previous studies, we identified sedative effects of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts and found that these extracts or their constituents may also have anticonvulsive effects. Wogonin is a natural product isolated from S. baicalensis, which possesses central nervous system effects such as anxiolytic and neuroprotective activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of wogonin on convulsion related behaviors, such as myorelaxation, motor coordination, and anticonvulsant effects of wogonin on chemical induced seizure and electroshock seizure in mice or rats. The effect of wogonin on membrane potential was also observed. Wogonin was intraperitoneally injected into mice or rats 30 min prior to testing. Animals treated with wogonin did not change locomotor activities as well as endurance times on the rota-rod, which indicates that wogonin did not cause a sedative and myorelaxation effect. Wogonin significantly blocked convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazole and electroshock but not convulsion induced by strychnine. Wogonin also significantly reduced the electrogenic response score, but flumazenil treatment reversed this decrease to the level of the control group. The wogonin treatment increased Cl(-)influx into the intracellular area as dose increased. Flumazenil and bicuculline treatment, however, inhibited the Cl(-) influx induced by wogonin. These results indicate that the anticonvulsive effects produced by wogonin were mediated by the GABAergic neuron.
Park
Hyung Geun
HG
Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 139-742, Republic of Korea.
Yoon
Seo Young
SY
Choi
Ji Young
JY
Lee
Geum Seon
GS
Choi
Jong Hyun
JH
Shin
Chan Young
CY
Son
Kun Ho
KH
Lee
Yong Soo
YS
Kim
Won Ki
WK
Ryu
Jong Hoon
JH
Ko
Kwang Ho
KH
Cheong
Jae Hoon
JH
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002712:Chlorides; D044950:Flavanones; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C085514:wogonin