title: Anticonvulsant activity of fraction isolated from ethanolic extract of heartwood of Cedrus deodara.
abstract: The heartwood of Cedrus deodara is traditionally used for the treatment of neurological disorders in India. In this study, the compound 3,4-bis(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) furan-2,5-dione (BDFD) isolated from the ethanolic extract of C. deodara was evaluated for its anticonvulsant activity. The experimental studies were carried out in albino mice (18–22 g) and rats (180–220 g), employing different models of convulsions. The N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)-induced lethality test and estimation of brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were carried out to investigate the mechanism of action of this compound. BDFD gave dose-dependent protection against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-, pilocarpine- and 6-Hz-induced convulsions but it could not inhibit NMDA-induced lethality. Motor incoordination was displayed when the BDFD dose exceeded 400 mg/kg, whereas the therapeutic dose was below 100 mg/kg in the PTZ, pilocarpine and 6-Hz models (39–90 mg/kg). Furthermore, brain GABA estimation revealed that this compound increases the GABA level. BDFD dose levels up to 150 mg/kg did not prevent NMDA-induced lethality, which proves its weak influence on the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. The findings of the experiments on various animal models clearly demonstrated that BDFD possesses anticonvulsant activity by enhancing inhibitory GABAminergic neurotransmission.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Dhayabaran
authors: Ebinezar Jeyaseeli
authors: EJ
authors: Florance
authors: Krishnadas
authors: K
authors: Nandakumar
authors: Alagarsamy
authors: A
authors: Shanmugarathinam
authors: Ayarivan
authors: A
authors: Puratchikody
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D028203:Cedrus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
references: Curr Protoc Pharmacol. 2009 Jun;Chapter 5:Unit 5.22
references: 22294398
references: Anc Sci Life. 1988 Oct;8(2):125-32
references: 22557643
references: Parasitol Res. 2007 Feb;100(3):575-9
references: 17013649
references: Synapse. 1989;3(2):154-71
references: 2648633
references: J Nat Med. 2009 Oct;63(4):375-9
references: 19452247
references: Cleve Clin Q. 1984 Summer;51(2):293-305
references: 6380818
references: J Pharm Sci. 1975 Feb;64(2):258-262
references: 47907
references: Epilepsy Res. 1988 May-Jun;2(3):145-81
references: 3058469
references: J Ethnopharmacol. 1989 Feb;25(1):61-72
references: 2654491
references: J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Mar 24;134(2):294-7
references: 21182918
references: J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2008 Feb 1;862(1-2):237-41
references: 18191624
references: J Chem Ecol. 1988 Apr;14(4):1145-51
references: 24276200
references: Br J Pharmacol. 1989 Nov;98(3):1050-4
references: 2574061
references: Neuropharmacology. 1996;35(8):1049-56
references: 9121607
references: Epilepsia. 1995;36 Suppl 2:S13-26
references: 8784211
references: Epilepsy Res. 1993 Jul;15(3):179-84
references: 7693450
references: J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1962 Mar;135:296-9
references: 14471744
references: J Agric Food Chem. 2001 Oct;49(10):4642-5
references: 11600001
references: Seizure. 1999 Oct;8(7):436-7
references: 10600588
references: Epilepsy Res. 2003 Sep;56(1):17-26
references: 14529950
references: J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Sep;270(3):1223-9
references: 7932175
references: Brain Res. 1988 May 10;448(1):115-20
references: 3292008
references: J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Mar 21;110(2):200-34
references: 17276637