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Anticonvulsant and sedative effect of Fufang Changniu pills and probable mechanism of action in mice


Huiqin Zhang
Juanjuan Lu
Yi Zhang
Yumei Zhao
Jia Wei
Liya Zhou

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the anticonvulsant and sedative effects of Fufang Changniu Pills (FCP) and its probable mechanism of action in mice.
Methods: The water decoction of FCP was prepared and the main constituents were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The anticonvulsant activities of FCP were evaluated by maximal electroshock (MES) and  pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in mice. Pentobarbital sodium-induced sleeping time and locomotor activity measurements were performed to evaluate the sedative effects of FCP in mice. Finally, PTZ-induced chronic seizures were  established, and expressions of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABA-A) and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) in the brains of the mice were assayed by western blot in order to explore the probable mechanisms of action of the drug.
Results: Gallic acid, liquiritin, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid and glycyrrhizic acid were detected in FCP decoction. FCP (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) showed significant anticonvulsant and sedative effects on epileptic mice induced by MES (p < 0.05) and PTZ (p < 0.05). Moreover, pentobarbital sodium-induced sleeping time and  locomotor activity tests showed that FCP possesses sedative effect (p < 0.05). Western blot data indicate that FCP significantly up-regulated GABA-A and GAD 65 in the brains of chronic epileptic rats (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: FCP has significant anticonvulsant and sedative effects, and the  mechanism of its action may be related to the up-regulation of GABA-A and GAD 65 in mice brain.

Keywords: Epilepsy, Fufang Changniu pills, Anticonvulsant, Sedative effect,  Gamma-aminobutyric acid, Glutamate dehydrogenase


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996