title: Central action of Araucaria angustifolia seed lectin in mice.
abstract: Possible central nervous system effects of the gymnosperm lectin from Araucaria angustifolia seeds were studied in seizure and open field tests. Male Swiss mice were administered saline (control), lectin (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg), flumazenil (1 mg/kg), or diazepam (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Lectin at the highest dose increased time to death in the pentylenetetrazole- and strychnine-induced seizure models as compared with control, but not in the pilocarpine model. In the open field test, lectin reduced locomotor activity at all doses tested, as did diazepam, when compared with control. These locomotor effects were reversed by flumazenil pretreatment. In conclusion, A. angustifolia lectin had a protective effect in the pentylenetetrazole- and strychnine-induced seizure models, suggestive of activity in the GABAergic and glycinergic systems, respectively, and also caused a reduction in animal movements, which was reversed by flumazenil, pointing to a depressant action mediated by a GABAergic mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Ceará, Brazil. silvania_vasconcelos@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Silvânia Maria Mendes
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Silvane R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Paula Matias
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Ana Maria Sampaio
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Assreuy
authors.forename: Francisca Cléa Florenço
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Rodrigo de Freitas Guimarães
authors.initials: Rde F
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.forename: Germana Silva
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Tatiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santi-Gadelha
authors.forename: Eduardo Henrique Salviano
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.forename: Benildo Sousa
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cavada
authors.forename: Manoel Cláudio Azevedo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Patrocínio
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013331:Strychnine
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D037102:Lectins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005442:Flumazenil; D013331:Strychnine; D003975:Diazepam; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole