Antiabsence Effects of Safranal in Acute Experimental Seizure Models: EEG and Autoradiography

PURPOSE: We examined the effect of safranal, a constituent of Crocus sativus, in acute experimental animal models of generalized absence seizures. METHODS: We further characterized its effects on the GABAergic system through the regional modification of [3H] flunitrazepam, a benzodiazepine agonist b...

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Main Authors: Hamid Sadeghnia (Author), Miguel Cortez (Author), Dick Liu (Author), Hossein Hosseinzadeh (Author), O. Carter Snead (Author)
Format: Book
Published: Frontiers Media S.A., 2008-05-01T00:00:00Z.
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Summary:PURPOSE: We examined the effect of safranal, a constituent of Crocus sativus, in acute experimental animal models of generalized absence seizures. METHODS: We further characterized its effects on the GABAergic system through the regional modification of [3H] flunitrazepam, a benzodiazepine agonist binding site and [3H] CGP54626A, a GABAB receptor antagonist binding site in mouse brain. RESULTS: The systemic administration of safranal resulted in a significant and dose-dependent attenuation in experimental absence seizures elicited by either ?-butyrolactone (GBL), baclofen (BAC) or low doses of GABAA receptor antagonists; pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), picrotoxin (PTX) and bicuculline (BMC). After a single intraperitoneal administration of safranal (291 mg/kg), no changes in baseline electrocorticographic (ECoG) recording were observed, however, a significant decrease in [3H] flunitrazepam binding was seen in the cortex (33.16%, p<0.001), hippocampus (27.36%, p<0.01) and thalamus (29.91%, p<0.01) of mouse brain, while the [3H] CGP54626A binding did not show any modification in the same brain regions. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that there is an antiabsence seizure property in safranal and its effect may be due to modifications on the benzodiazepine binding sites of the GABAA receptor complex.
Item Description:10.18433/J38G6J
1482-1826