title: Anticonvulsant activity of bisabolene sesquiterpenoids of Curcuma longa in zebrafish and mouse seizure models.
abstract: Turmeric, obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa, is used in South Asia as a traditional medicine for the treatment of epilepsy. To date, in vivo studies on the anticonvulsant activity of turmeric have focused on its principal curcuminoid, curcumin. However, poor absorption and rapid metabolism have limited the therapeutic application of curcumin in humans. To explore the therapeutic potential of turmeric for epilepsy further, we analyzed its anticonvulsant activity in a larval zebrafish seizure assay. Initial experiments revealed that the anticonvulsant activity of turmeric in zebrafish larvae cannot be explained solely by the effects of curcumin. Zebrafish bioassay-guided fractionation of turmeric identified bisabolene sesquiterpenoids as additional anticonvulsants that inhibit PTZ-induced seizures in both zebrafish and mice. Here, we present the first report of the anticonvulsant properties of bisabolene sesquiterpenoids and provide evidence which warrants further investigation toward the mechanistic understanding of their neuromodulatory activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, Department of Pharmaceutical & Pharmacological Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Adriana Monserrath
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Orellana-Paucar
authors.forename: Ann-Sophie K
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Serruys
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Afrikanova
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Borggraeve
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alen
authors.forename: Fabián
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: León-Tamariz
authors.forename: Isabel María
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Wilches-Arizábala
authors.forename: Alexander D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Peter A M
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Witte
authors.forename: Camila V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Esguerra
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003292:Convulsants / Q000633:toxicity; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004569:Electroencephalography; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000633:toxicity; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D014635:Valproic Acid; C012596:turmeric extract; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole