Anticonvulsant Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Scrophularia Striata Boiss. on Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Seizure in Mice

Abstract: Background & Aims: Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder that appears as sudden convulsions, and transient, repetitive and unpredictable movment, with sensory-motor and autonomic sources. Nowadays, patients with epilepsy use various types of chemical drugs which turn out side effects and cause drug resistance in long-term use. Ease of using herbal plants and their public acceptance have provided them appropriate for pharmacological purposes. Scrophularia striata Boiss., plant grows in areas of Ilam in Iran, has been experimentally used in the treatment of various diseases. In this experiment, the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of this plant was studied on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures. Methods: 40 male mice (25-30 g) were randomly selected and divided into five groups of 8, including a control group (receiving saline and pentylenetetrazol) and 4 treatment groups (receiving the extract doses of 150, 300, 600, 900 mg/kg). 30 minutes after interaperitoneal administration of saline and extract, pentylenetetrazol (80 mg/kg) was injected. The mice were immediately transferred to a special cage and convulsive behaviors were recorded by a camera during the 20 minutes. Then, the different phases of seizure were evaluated. Results: Extract injection in dose of 150 mg/kg had no significant effect on onset time of different levels of seizure. But, extract injection in doses of 300 and 600 and 900 mg/kg delayed the onset time of tonic, clonic and tonic-clonic seizures. The extract administration in all treatment doses also reduced duration time of tonic and tonic–clonic seizures and decreased the numbers of imbalances and fallings in different seizure phases. As well, the extract decreased mortality to zero. Conclusion: Our study indicated that the hydro-alcoholic extract of Scrophularia striata Boiss. has an appropriate anticonvulsant effect and it seems that the future studies are necessary to separate its ingredients and understand its mechanism of action. Keywords: Scrophularia striata Boiss., Anticonvulsant effect, Pentylenetetrazol, Seizur

The role of potassium channels in the regulation of calcium spike configuration in the cerebellar Purkinje neurons

Background: Calcium spikes play important roles in the control of neuronal spontaneous activity. Cerebellar Purkinje neurons fire spontaneous calcium spikes. In this study, the role of potassium channels in the regulation of these spikes was studied. Materials & Methods: Brain slices from the cerebellum of young rats were prepared and the Purkinje cells were visualized using an upright microscope. Using borosilicate micropipettes and Axoclamp 2B amplifier, intracellular recordings were taken from the cells. The role of different K+ channels in the regulation of calcium spikes configuration was determined using different K+ channels blockers and precise analysis of the recorded calcium spikes in the presence of blockers. Results: Application of wide-range 4-aminophyridine and tetraethylammonium blockers increased duration and amplitude of afterhyperpolarization (AHP) of the calcium spikes and converted them from one-peak spike to two- or multiple-peaks spikes. Blockade of small conductance calcium dependent potassium channels increased duration of the spikes but had no effect on the AHP amplitude Blockade of large conductance calcium dependent potassium channels increased duration of the calcium spikes and decreased the AHP amplitude. Conclusion: Our results showed that properties of the calcium spikes in the cerebellar Purkinje neurons were largely controlled by different potassium channels, including calcium dependent types

The effect of microinjection of dimethyl sulfoxide into the rostral ventromedial medulla on swim stress-induced analgesia

Background: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an important solvent for compounds that used in pain research. Rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) plays an important role in modulating nociception and stress-induced analgesia (SIA). Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of DMSO administration into the RVM on SIA by using formalin test. Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 27 Wistar male rats (200±30 gr) were randomly assigned to control, stress and stress+DMSO groups. Animals were placed in a water reservoir (20±1°C) for 3 minutes to induce forced swimming stress. Stereotaxic surgery was performed to microinjection of DMSO (0.5μl, 100%) into RVM. The pain behavior score was evaluated by subcutaneous injection of formalin 2% in the dorsal plantar region of hid paw. Findings: The pain score of phase 1, interphase and phase 2 of formalin test in swim stress group decreased significantly in comparison to control group (P<0.001, P< 0.05, P<0.001) respectively. In addition, the pain score of three phase of formalin test after DMSO injection in swim stress group decreased significantly in comparison to control and stress group (P<0.001, P<0.05) respectively. Conclusion: Also microinjections of DMSO into the RVM potentiate the swim stress analgesia. According to the analgesic effects of dimethyl sulfoxide, as well as its ability to potentiate stressinduced analgesia, DMSO should be used with caution as a solvent in pain studies. Conclusion: Force swim stress induces analgesia in, and microinjections of DMSO into the RVM potentiate the swim stress analgesia. According to the analgesic effects of DMSO, as well as its ability to potentiate stress-induced analgesia, it should be used with caution as solvent in pain studies

Antinociceptive effect of hydroalcoholic extract of green tea in male mice

Background: The use of medicinal plants due to their lower side effects and the various efficient components has been increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of hydroalcoholic extract of green tea in male mice using the hot plate and formalin tests. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 56 NMRI male mice (weight, 28±3 g) were assigned to the control and experimental groups. The experimental group received the green tea extract (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg) and 30 min after the injection, the hot plate and formalin tests were used to assess the acute and chronic pain. Results: Results showed that hydroalcoholic extract of green tea (75mg/kg) could induce antinociception in phase 2, not in phase 1 and interphase of the formalin test. Hydroalcoholic extract of green tea (150 and 300 mg/kg) could also induce antinociception in phase 1, interphase and phase 2 of the formalin test. Moreover, hydroalcoholic extract of green tea caused a delay on the painful behaviors in hot-plate test. Conclusion: Hydroalcoholic extract of green tea has analgesic properties and can be used as a substitute for chemical analgesic drugs

Ethnomedicinal plant-extract-assisted green synthesis of iron nanoparticles using Allium saralicum extract, and their antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antibacterial, antifungal and cutaneous wound-healing activities

The aim of the experiment was the evaluation of antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antibacterial, antifungal and cutaneous wound-healing activities of green synthesized iron nanoparticles using Allium saralicum R.M. Fritsch leaves (FeNPs@AS). These nanoparticles were spherical with a size range of 40-45 nm, and were characterized using various analysis techniques including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy to determine the presence of FeNPs@AS in the solution. We studied functional groups of A. saralicum extract in the reduction and capping process of FeNPs@AS by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy; crystallinity and FCC planes by X-ray diffraction pattern; and surface morphology, shapes and size of FeNPs@AS by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Agar diffusion tests were done to determine the antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. FeNPs@AS prevented the growth of all bacteria and removed them at 2-8 mg/ml concentrations (P <= 0.01). In the case of antifungal potentials of FeNPs@AS, they inhibited the growth of all fungi and destroyed them at 2-4 mg/ml concentrations (P <= 0.01). The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl test revealed similar antioxidant potentials for FeNPs@AS and butylated hydroxytoluene. The synthesized FeNPs@AS had great cell viability dose-dependently and indicated this method was non-toxic. For the in vivo experiment, after creating the cutaneous wound, the rats were randomly divided into six groups: treatment with 0.2 FeNPs@AS ointment; treatment with 0.2 A. saralicum ointment; treatment with 0.2 FeCl3 center dot 6H(2)O ointment; treatment with 3 tetracycline ointment; treatment with Eucerin basal ointment; and untreated control. These groups were treated for 10 days. Use of FeNPs@AS ointment in the treatment groups significantly decreased (P <= 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophils and lymphocytes, and significantly raised (P <= 0.01) the wound contracture, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared with other groups. These results show that the inclusion of A. saralicum extracts improves the therapeutical properties of FeNPs, which led to a significant enhancement in the antioxidant, non-cytotoxicity, antibacterial, antifungal and cutaneous wound-healing activities of the nanoparticles

Falcaria vulgaris leaf aqueous extract mediated synthesis of iron nanoparticles and their therapeutic potentials under in vitro and in vivo condition

In recent years, researchers have used bionanotechnology techniques as cost-effective and eco-friendly routes to fabricate nanoparticles. The present study confirms the ability of aqueous extract of Falcaria vulgaris for the biosynthesis of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs@F. vulgaris). Also, in this study, we showed the antioxidant, cytotoxicity, cutaneous wound healing, antibacterial, and antifungal activities of these nanoparticles. FeNPs@F. vulgaris were characterized by UV, FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, and TEM analysis. According to the XRD analysis, 25.3 nm was measured for the crystal size of nanoparticles. FE-SEM and TEM images exhibited a uniform spherical morphology and average diameters of 25 nm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles. FTIR results offered protein and polysaccharides in F. vulgaris were the sources of reducing power, reducing iron ions to FeNPs@F. vulgaris. In vivo design, FeNPs@F. vulgaris ointment remarkably reduced (p <= 0.01) the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte and substantially increased (p <= 0.01) the wound contracture, vessel, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate compared to other groups in rats. Also, FeNPs@F. vulgaris indicated potential antioxidant activity against DPPH, antifungal potentials against Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, Candida krusei, and Candida guilliermondii, antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli O157:H7) without any cytotoxicity effect against human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Finally, the results showed the useful antioxidant, non-cytotoxic, cutaneous wound healing, antifungal, and antibacterial effects of FeNPs@F. vulgaris