title: The role for nitric oxide on the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Achillea wilhelmsii on seizure.
abstract: Objective : Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role both as a consequence and as a cause of epileptic seizures. Regarding the central nervous system depressant effects of Achillea wilhelmsii (A. wilhelmsii), as well the effects of the plant on NO, this study was aimed to elucidate the possible role for nitric oxide on the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of A. wilhelmsii on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=8 in each group) and treated with (1) normal saline, (2) normal saline before pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 90 mg/kg), (3-7) A. wilhelmsii extract (100, 200, 400, 800, and 1200 mg/kg) before PTZ. Latency to first minimal colonic seizure (MCS) and the first generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) as well as the mortality rate were recorded. The brain tissues were then removed for biochemical measurements. Fisher's exact probability test as well as analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey's test were used for statistical evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with 100- 1200 mg/kg of the extract did not affect MCS latencies. 400 mg/kg of the extract prolonged GTCS latency (p<0.001), however, the lower and higher doses were not effective. Nitric oxide metabolites concentrations in the hippocampal tissues of the animals treated with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of the extract were increased compared with saline (p<0.05-p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that hydroalcoholic extract of A. wilhelmsii affects NO metabolites in brain tissues as well the severity of seizures in PTZ-induced seizure model.
authors: Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, I. R. Iran ; Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, I. R. Iran.
authors: Mahmoud
authors: M
authors: Hosseini
authors: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Mashhad, I. R. Iran.
authors: Fatemeh
authors: F
authors: Harandizadeh
authors: Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, I. R. Iran.
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Niazmand
authors: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, I. R. Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Soukhtanloo
authors: Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, I. R. Iran.
authors: Azadeh
authors: A
authors: Faizpour
authors: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, I. R. Iran.
authors: Marzieh
authors: M
authors: Ghasemabady
keywords: Achillea wilhelmsii; Hippocampus; Nitric oxide; Pentylenetetrazole; Rat; Seizures