Experimental study on the antiepileptic properties of alpha-asarone in different epilepsy models / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To investigate the antiepileptic activity of alpha-asarone in three epilepsy models.Methods The MES mice,MST mice and Lithium-pilocarpine rats were divided randomly and respectively into groups each containing 20 animals(?-asarone groups,AED groups and normal control group).Different doses of alpha-asarone were administered to mice/rats in advance in alpha-asarone treated groups,one group received only saline,while the other groups received antiepileptic drug as a reference standard,2 times per day for 28 days.The seizure severity score,seizure latency and total number of animals with seizures were noted to observe whether alpha-asarone had anticonvulsant effect or not in three epilepsy models.Results Alpha-asarone possessed excellent anticonvulsant effect in MES and MST and lithium-pilocarpine models. It significantly decreased the seizure incidence 40%~100% in the MES models and 50%~90% in MST models,and 40%~80% in the Lithium-pilocarpine model. It significantly prolonged the seizure latency 70~180 s in MST mice and 4~15 min in Lithium-pilocarpine rats;It significantly reduced the seizure severity scores 1.96 in Lithium-pilocarpine rats.Conclusions Alpha-asarone had a positive antiepileptic activity.