Journal
EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR
Volume 15, Issue 3, Pages 291-293Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.05.002
Keywords
Araucaria angustifolia; Lectin; Anticonvulsant effects; Open field; Central nervous system; Natural product
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Funding
- Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq)
- Fundacao Cearense de Amparo a Pesquisa (FUNCAP)
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Possible central nervous system effects of the gymnosperm lectin from Araucaria angustifolia seeds were studied in seizure and open field tests. Male Swiss mice were administered saline (control), lectin (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg), flumazenil (1 mg/kg), or diazepam (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Lectin at the highest dose increased time to death in the pentylenetetrazole- and strychnine-induced seizure models as compared with control, but not in the pilocarpine model. In the open field test, lectin reduced locomotor activity at all doses tested, as did diazepam, when compared with control. These locomotor effects were reversed by flumazenil pretreatment. In conclusion, A. angustifolia lectin had a protective effect in the pentylenetetrazole- and strychnine-induced seizure models, suggestive of activity in the GABAergic and glycinergic systems, respectively, and also caused a reduction in animal movements, which was reversed by flumazenil, pointing to a depressant action mediated by a GABAergic mechanism. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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