Neuroprotective effects of the fractions of Ocimum basilicum in seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole in mice

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

1 Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran

2 Division of Neurocognitive Sciences, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Neuroscience Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran Department of Physiology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran

5 Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Science, Mashhad, Iran.

6 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

7 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran

8 Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

9 Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

10 Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum) against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures were investigated. 
Materials and Methods: Mice were divided as follows: (Group 1) Control, (Group 2) PTZ, (Groups 3-5) 50,100 and 200 mg/kg hydro-ethanolic (HE) extract, and (Groups 6-8) 200 mg/kg ethyl-acetate (EAF), N-hexane (NHF) and water (WF) fractions. Minimal clonic seizures (MCS) and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) latencies were measured. Biochemical and histological studies were done.
Results: MCS and GTCS latency in HE groups were longer than the PTZ group (p<0.05 to p<0.001). EAF and NHF prolonged the onset of MCS and GTCS (p<0.001). PTZ increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and dark neuron (DN) production while decreased thiol, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p<0.05 to p<0.001).  Pre-treatment by HE and all fractions of the plant attenuated MDA and DN while increased thiol, CAT and SOD (p<0.01 to p<0.001).
Conclusion: EAF and NHF had anticonvulsant properties. The extract and fractions protected the brain from PTZ-induced oxidative damages and showed neuroprotective effects.

Keywords


Abdelbary G, Fahmy RH. 2009. Diazepamloaded solid lipid nanoparticles: design
and characterization. AAPS Pharm Sci
Tech, 10: 211-219.
Aebi H. 1984. Catalase in vitro. Methods
Enzymol, 105: 121-126.
Ali AE, Mahdy HM, Elsherbiny DM, Azab SS.
2018. Rifampicin ameliorates lithiumpilocarpine-induced seizures, consequent
hippocampal damage and memory deficit
in rats: Impact on oxidative, inflammatory
and apoptotic machineries. Biochem
Pharmacol, 156: 431-443.
Anjos PJ, Lima AO, Cunha PS, De Sousa DP,
Onofre AS, Ribeiro TP, Medeiros IA,
Neuroprotective effects of Ocimum basilicum fractions
AJP, Vol. 12, No. 6, Nov-Dec 2022 625
Antoniolli, ÂR, Quintans-Júnior LJ,
Santos, MR. 2013. Cardiovascular effects
induced by linalool in normotensive and
hypertensive rats. Z Naturforsch C J
Biosci, 68: 181-190.
Asgharzadeh F, Hosseini, M, Bargi, R,
Soukhtanloo M, Beheshti F, Mohammady
Z, Anaeigoudari A. 2019. Effect of
captopril on brain oxidative damage in
pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in
mice. Pharm Sci, 25: 221-226.
Asgharzadeh F, Hosseini M, Bargi R, Beheshti
F, Rakhshandeh H, Mansouri S, Aghaei A,
Sadeghnia HR, Anaeigoudari A. 2020.
Effects of hydro-ethanolic extract of
tanacetum parthenium and its N-butanol
and aqueous fractions on brain oxidative
damage in pentylenetetrazole-induced
seizures in mice. Pharm Sci, 26: 252-260.
Askari VR, Rahimi VB, Ghorbani A,
Rakhshandeh H. 2016. Hypnotic effect of
ocimum basilicum on pentobarbitalinduced sleep in mice. Iran Red Crescent
Med J, 18: e24261.
Bora KS, Arora S, Shri R. 2011. Role of
Ocimum basilicum L. in prevention of
ischemia and reperfusion-induced cerebral
damage, and motor dysfunctions in mice
brain. J Ethnopharmacol, 137: 1360-1365.
Brum LS, Emanuelli T, Souza D, Elisabetsky E.
2001. Effects of linalool on glutamate
release and uptake in mouse cortical
synaptosomes. Neurochem. Res, 26: 191-
194.
Ebrahimzadeh Bideskan AR, Hosseini M,
Mohammadpour T, Karami R,
Khodamoradi M, Nemati Karimooy H,
Alavi H. 2011. Effects of soy extract on
pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in
ovariectomized rats. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He
Xue Bao, 9: 611-618.
El-Soud NHA, Deabes M, El-Kassem LA,
Khalil M. 2015. Chemical composition
and antifungal activity of Ocimum
basilicum L. essential oil. J Med Sci, 3:
374-379.
Elisabetsky E, Brum LF, Souza, DO. 1999.
Anticonvulsant properties of linalool in
glutamate-related seizure models.
Phytomedicine, 6: 107-113.
Flanigan PM, Niemeyer ED. 2014. Effect of
cultivar on phenolic levels, anthocyanin
composition, and antioxidant properties in
purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Food
Chem, 164: 518-526.
Gawande DY, Druzhilovsk, D, Gupta RC,
Poroikov V, Goel RK. 2017.
Anticonvulsant activity and acute
neurotoxic profile of Achyranthes aspera
Linn. J Ethnopharmacol, 202: 97-102.
Gupta YK, Briyal S. 2006. Protective effect of
vineatrol against kainic acid induced
seizures, oxidative stress and on the
expression of heat shock proteins in rats.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 16: 85-91.
Hosseini M, Harandizadeh F, Niazamand S,
Soukhtanloo M, Mahmoudabady M. 2013.
Antioxidant effect of Achillea wilhelmsii
extract on pentylenetetrazole (seizure
model)-induced oxidative brain damage in
Wistar rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol,
57: 418-424.
Hosseini M, Harandizadeh F, Niazmand S,
Soukhtanloo M, Faizpour A,
Ghasemabady M. 2014. The role for nitric
oxide on the effects of hydroalcoholic
extract of Achillea wilhelmsii on seizure.
Avicenna J Phytomed, 4: 251-259.
Hosseini M, Pkan P, Rakhshandeh H, Aghai A,
Sadeghnia HR, Rahbardar MG. 2011. The
effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of citrus
flower on pentylenetetrazole and maximal
electroshock-induced seizures in mice.
World Appl Sci J, 15: 1104-1109.
Hosseini M, Sadeghnia HR, Salehabadi S,
Alavi H, Gorji A. 2009. The effect of Larginine and L-NAME on
pentylenetetrazole induced seizures in
ovariectomized rats, an in vivo study.
Seizure, 18: 695-698.
Huo M, Cui X, Xue J, Chi G, Gao R, Deng X,
Guan S, Wei J, Soromou LW, Feng H.
2013. Anti-inflammatory effects of
linalool in RAW 264.7 macrophages and
lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury
model. J Surg Res, 180: e47-e54.
Karami R, Hosseini M, Mohammadpour T,
Ghorbani A, Sadeghnia HR, Rakhshandeh
H, Vafaee F, Esmaeilizadeh M. 2015.
Effects of hydroalcoholic extract of
Coriandrum sativum on oxidative damage
in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in
rats. Iran J Neurol, 14: 59-66.
Karimzadeh F, Hosseini M, Mangeng D, Alavi
H, Hassanzadeh GR, Bayat M, Jafarian M,
Kazemi H, Gorji A. 2012. Anticonvulsant
and neuroprotective effects of Pimpinella
anisum in rat brain. BMC Complement
Altern Med, 12: 76.
Khodabakhshi T, Beheshti F, Hosseini M,
Mansouri et al.
AJP, Vol. 12, No. 6, Nov-Dec 2022 626
Mousavi SM, Rakhshandeh H, Sadeghnia
HR, Aghaei A. 2017. Effect of Ocimum
basilicum hydro-alcoholic extract on
oxidative damage of brain tissue following
seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole in
mice. Physiol Pharmacol, 21: 295-303.
Koutroumanidou E, Kimbaris A, Kortsaris A,
Bezirtzoglou E, Polissiou M,
Charalabopoulos K, Pagonopoulou O.
2013. Increased seizure latency and
decreased severity of pentylenetetrazolinduced seizures in mice after essential oil
administration. Epilepsy Res Treat, 2013:
532657.
Kudin AP, Kudina TA, Seyfried J, Vielhaber S,
Beck H, Elger CE, Kunz WS. 2002.
Seizure-dependent modulation of
mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation
in rat hippocampus. Eur J Neurosci, 15:
1105-1114.
Lee BK, Jung AN, Jung YS. 2018. Linalool
ameliorates memory loss and behavioral
impairment induced by REM-sleep
deprivation through the serotonergic
pathway. Biomol Ther, 26: 368-373.
Madesh M, Balasubramanian KA. 1998.
Microtiter plate assay for superoxide
dismutase using MTT reduction by
superoxide. Indian J Biochem Biophys,
35: 184-188.
Mansouri S, Hosseini M, Beheshti F,
Sobhanifar MA, Rakhshandeh H, Akbar
Anaeigoudari A. 2021. Neuroprotective
effects of Pinus eldarica in a mouse model
of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures.
Avicenna J Phytomed, 11: 610-621.
Mehri S, Meshki MA, Hosseinzadeh H. 2014.
Linalool as a neuroprotective agent against
acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity in
Wistar rats. Drug Chem Toxicol, 38: 162-
166.
Narusuye K, Kawai F, Matsuzaki K, Miyachi E.
2005. Linalool suppresses voltage-gated
currents in sensory neurons and cerebellar
Purkinje cells. J Neural Transm, 112: 193-
203.
Oliveira JS, Porto LA, Estevam CS, Siqueira
RS, Alves PB, Niculau ES, Blank AF,
Almeida RN, Marchioro M, QuintansJúnior LJ. 2009. Phytochemical screening
and anticonvulsant property of Ocimum
basilicum leaf essential oil. Bol Latinoam
Caribe Plantas Med Aromat, 8: 195-202.
Pagonopoulou O, Angelatou F, Kostopoulos G.
1993. Effect of pentylentetrazol-induced
seizures on A1 adenosine receptor regional
density in the mouse brain: a quantitative
autoradiographic study. Neuroscience, 56:
711-716.
Patel M. 2004. Mitochondrial dysfunction and
oxidative stress: cause and consequence of
epileptic seizures. Free Radic Biol Med,
37: 1951-1962.
Sakurada T, Kuwahata H, Katsuyama S,
Komatsu T, Morrone LA, Corasaniti MT,
Bagetta G, Sakurada S. 2009. Intraplantar
injection of bergamot essential oil into the
mouse hindpaw: effects on capsaicininduced nociceptive behaviors. Int Rev
Neurobiol, 85: 237-248.
Shakeri F, Hosseini M, Ghorbani A. 2019.
Neuropharmacological effects of Ocimum
basilicum and its constituents. Physiol
Pharmacol, 23: 70-81.
Szabadics J, Erdelyi L. 2000. Pre-and
postsynaptic effects of eugenol and related
compounds on Helix pomatia L. neurons.
Acta Biol Hung, 51: 265-273.
Vafaee F, Hosseini M, Hassanzadeh Z,
Edalatmanesh MA, Sadeghnia HR,
Seghatoleslam M, Mousavi SM, Amani A,
Shafei MN. 2015. The effects of Nigella
sativa hydro-alcoholic extract on memory
and brain tissues oxidative damage after
repeated seizures in rats. Iran J Pharm Res,
14: 547-557.
Yang N, Guan QW, Chen F.H, Xia QX, Yin
XX, Zhou HH, Mao XY. 2020.
Antioxidants targeting mitochondrial
oxidative stress: Promising
neuroprotectants for epilepsy. Oxid Med
Cell Longev, 2020: 6687185.