ABSTRACT
Background: Carum carvi L. [caraway], known as black zeera in Iran, has been indicated for the treatment of epilepsy in Iranian folk medicine. This study evaluated whether the aqueous extract and essential oil of caraway seeds have anticonvulsant effects in mice
Methods: The anticonvulsant effects of the aqueous extract [200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 mg/kg, i.p.] and essential oil [25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, i.p.] of caraway were assessed using pentylenetetrazol [PTZ; 95 mg/kg i.p.] induced convulsions. Diazepam [3 mg/kg] was used as positive control. The latency time before the onset of myoclonic, clonic, and tonic convulsions and the percentage of mortality were recorded. In addition, the effect of caraway on neuromuscular coordination was evaluated using the rotarod performance test
Results: The extract and essential oil dose-dependently increased the latency time to the onset of myoclonic [ED50, 1257 and 62.2 mg/kg, respectively] and clonic [ED50, 929 and 42.3 mg/kg, respectively] seizures. The extract and essential oil of caraway prevented the animals from tonic seizure with ED50s of 2142.4 and 97.6 mg/kg, respectively. The extract and essential oil of caraway protected 28.6 and 71.4% of the animals from PTZ-induced death, respectively, and had no significant effect on neuromuscular coordination
Conclusion: This study showed that the aqueous extract and essential oil of caraway had anticonvulsant properties. However, the essential oil was more potent and effective than was the aqueous extract as an anticonvulsant. Additionally, the anticonvulsant effect of caraway was not due to a muscle relaxant activity. These findings support the acclaimed antiepileptic effect of caraway in folk medicine and propose its potential use in petit mal seizure in humans
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Anticonvulsants , Seizures , Plant Extracts , Pentylenetetrazole , MiceABSTRACT
Background: There have been some reports about the possible N-methyl-D-aspartate [NMDA] antagonist activity of Guaifenesin. As drugs with a similar structure to Guaifenesin [i.e. Felbamate] and those with NMDA antagonist activity have been clinically used as anticonvulsants, the aim of this study was to determine whether Guaifenesin has an anticonvulsant effect in an animal model of seizure
Methods: Anticonvulsant effect of Guaifenesin was assessed via Pentylenetetrazol [PTZ]-induced convulsion. Male albino mice received Guaifenesin [100, 200, 300, or 400 mg/kg; n=8- 10] or 0.25% Tween [vehicle] intraperitoneally 30 minutes before the injection of PTZ [95 mg/kg]. Diazepam [3 mg/kg; n=8] was used as a reference drug. The latency time before the onset of myoclonic, clonic, and tonic-clonic convulsions, percentage of animals exhibiting convulsion, and percentage of mortality were recorded. In addition, the effect of Guaifenesin on neuromuscular coordination was assessed using the Rotarod
Results: Guaifenesin at all the studied doses significantly increased the latency to myoclonic and clonic convulsions in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, Guaifenesin at the dose of 300 mg/kg increased the latency to tonic-clonic seizure. The ED50s of Guaifenesin for protection against PTZ-induced clonic and tonic-clonic seizures and death were 744.88 [360-1540], 256 [178-363], and 328 [262-411] mg/kg, respectively. Guaifenesin at all the investigated doses significantly reduced neuromuscular coordination, compared to the vehicle-treated group
Conclusion: These results suggest that Guaifenesin possesses muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant properties and may have a potential clinical use in absence seizure