title: Low-dose acute vanillin is beneficial against harmaline-induced tremors in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of pretreatment with low doses of vanillin, a flavoring agent used as a food additive, on harmaline-induced tremor in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague Dawley rats (110 ± 5 g) were divided into groups of six animals each. Vanillin (6.25 mg, 12.5 mg, and 25 mg/kg) was administered by gavage to different groups of rats, 30 minutes before the induction of tremor. Harmaline (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was used for the induction of tremor. The latency of onset, duration, tremor intensity, tremor index, and spontaneous locomotor activity were recorded. A separate batch of animals was used for the determination of serotonin (5HT) and 5 hydroxyindole acetic acid (5HIAA) levels in the brain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Harmaline treatment resulted in characteristic tremor that lasted for more than 2 hours and decreased the locomotor activity of rats. Pre-treatment with vanillin significantly reduced the duration, intensity, and tremor index of harmaline-treated animals. Vanillin treatment also significantly attenuated harmaline-induced decrease in the locomotor activity. An increase in 5HT levels and the changes in 5HIAA/5HT ratio observed in harmaline treated rats were significantly corrected in vanillin pretreated animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vanillin in low doses reduces harmaline-induced tremor in rats, probably through its modulating effect on serotonin levels in the brain. These findings suggest a beneficial effect of vanillin in essential tremor.
authors.affiliation: a Scientific Research Center, Medical Services Department , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Al Asmari
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdulrahman
authors.affiliation: a Scientific Research Center, Medical Services Department , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Kunnathodi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Faisal
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Services Department , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali Al Amri
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Meshref
authors.affiliation: a Scientific Research Center, Medical Services Department , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arshaduddin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006246:Harmaline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001547:Benzaldehydes; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; C100058:vanillin; D006246:Harmaline
keywords: Harmaline; serotonin; 5 hydroxyindole acetic acid; tremor; vanillin