caryophyllene and Seizures

Status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological life-threatening condition, resulting from the failure of the mechanisms responsible for seizure termination. SE is often pharmacoresistant and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Hence, ceasing or attenuating SE and its consequences is of fundamental importance. Beta-caryophyllene is a functional CB2 receptor agonist and exhibit a good safety profile. Besides, it displays beneficial effects in several experimental conditions, including neuroprotective activity. In the present study we aimed to investigate the effects of beta-caryophyllene on pilocarpine-induced SE.. Wistar rats were submitted to pilocarpine-induced SE and monitored for 24 h by video and EEG for short-term recurrence of seizure activity (i.e. seizures occurring within 24 h after termination of SE). Rats received beta-caryophyllene (100 mg/kg, ip) at 1, 8- and 16-hours after SE. Twenty-four hours after SE we evaluated sensorimotor response, neuronal damage (fluoro jade C staining) and serum albumin infiltration into brain parenchyma.. Beta-caryophyllene-treated animals presented fewer short-term recurrent seizures than vehicle-treated counterparts, suggesting an anticonvulsant effect after SE. Behavioral recovery from SE and the number of fluoro jade C positive cells in the hippocampus and thalamus were not modified by beta-caryophyllene. Treatment with beta-caryophyllene attenuated the SE-induced increase of albumin immunoreactivity in the hippocampus, indicating a protective effect against blood-brain-barrier breakdown.. Given the inherent difficulties in the treatment of SE and its consequences, present results suggest that beta-caryophyllene deserve further investigation as an adjuvant therapeutic strategy for SE.

Topics: Animals; Blood-Brain Barrier; Disease Models, Animal; Epilepsy, Generalized; Hippocampus; Pilocarpine; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Seizures; Status Epilepticus

Central nervous system disorders such as anxiety, depression and epilepsy are characterized by sharing several molecular mechanisms in common and the involvement of the L-arginine/NO pathway in neurobehavioral studies with β-caryophyllene is still little discussed.. One of the objectives of the present study was to demonstrate the anxiolytic behavioral effect of β-caryophyllene (β-CBP) in female Swiss mice, as well as to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the results obtained.. This study evaluated the neurobehavioral effects of β-CBP using the open field test, rota- rod test, elevated plus maze test, novelty suppressed feeding test, tail suspension test and forced swim test, as well as pilocarpine, pentylenetetrazole and isoniazid-induced epileptic seizure models.. The results demonstrated that the neuropharmacological activities of β-CBP may involve benzodiazepine/GABAergic receptors, since the pre-treatment of β-CBP (200 mg/kg) associated with flumazenil (5 mg/kg, benzodiazepine receptor antagonist) and bicuculline (1 mg/kg, selective GABAA receptor antagonist) reestablished the anxiety parameters in the elevated plus-maze test, as well as the results of reduced latency to consume food in the novelty suppressed feeding test. In addition to benzodiazepine/GABAergic receptors, the neuropharmacological properties of β-CBP may be related to inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis, since pre-treatment with L-arginine (500-750 mg/kg) reversed significantly the anxiolytic, antidepressant and anticonvulsant activities of β-CBP.. The results obtained provide additional support in understanding the neuromolecular mechanisms underlying the anxiolytic, antidepressant and anticonvulsive properties of β-CBP in female Swiss mice.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Anticonvulsants; Antidepressive Agents; Arginine; Behavior, Animal; Benzodiazepines; Bicuculline; Female; Flumazenil; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; Humans; Maze Learning; Mice; Nitric Oxide; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Receptors, GABA-A; Seizures; Signal Transduction

Activation of CB1 receptors, produces anticonvulsant effect accompanied by memory disturbance both in animal seizure tests and in patients with epilepsy. Few reports considered the role of CB2 receptor on seizure susceptibility and cognitive functions. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of a selective CB2 receptor agonist β-caryophyllene (BCP) in models of seizures and cognition in mice.. Dose-dependent effects of BCP was studied in maximal electroshock seizure (MES) test, subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) test and Morris water maze test. Phenytoin and diazepam were used as reference drugs in seizure tests. The effect of sub-chronic treatment with BCP for 7 days (50 and 100 mg kg. The BCP exerted a protection in the MES test at the lowest dose of 30 mg kg. Our results suggest that the CB2 receptor agonists might be clinically useful as an adjunct treatment against seizure spread and status epilepticus and concomitant oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and cognitive impairments.

Topics: Animals; Anticonvulsants; Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; Diazepam; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electroshock; Hippocampus; Kainic Acid; Male; Malondialdehyde; Maze Learning; Mice, Inbred ICR; Motor Activity; Pentylenetetrazole; Phenytoin; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; Seizures; Sesquiterpenes; Status Epilepticus

Increasing evidence suggests that plant-derived extracts and their isolated components are useful for treatment of seizures and, hence, constitute a valuable source of new antiepileptic drugs with improved efficacy and better adverse effect profile. β-Caryophyllene is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that occurs in a wide range of plant species and displays a number of biological actions, including neuroprotective activity. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that β-caryophyllene displays anticonvulsant effects. In addition, we investigated the effect of β-caryophyllene on behavioral parameters and on seizure-induced oxidative stress. Adult C57BL/6 mice received increasing doses of β-caryophyllene (0, 10, 30, or 100mg/kg). After 60 min, we measured the latencies to myoclonic and generalized seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 60 mg/kg). We found that β-caryophyllene increased the latency to myoclonic jerks induced by PTZ. This result was confirmed by electroencephalographic analysis. In a separate set of experiments, we found that mice treated with an anticonvulsant dose of β-caryophyllene (100mg/kg) displayed an improved recognition index in the object recognition test. This effect was not accompanied by behavioral changes in the open-field, rotarod, or forced swim tests. Administration of an anticonvulsant dose of β-caryophyllene (100mg/kg) did not prevent PTZ-induced oxidative stress (i.e., increase in the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances or the decrease in nonprotein thiols content). Altogether, the present data suggest that β-caryophyllene displays anticonvulsant activity against seizures induced by PTZ in mice. Since no adverse effects were observed in the same dose range of the anticonvulsant effect, β-caryophyllene should be further evaluated in future development of new anticonvulsant drugs.

Topics: Animals; Anticonvulsants; Convulsants; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electroencephalography; Epilepsies, Myoclonic; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Motor Activity; Oxidative Stress; Pentylenetetrazole; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Postural Balance; Recognition, Psychology; Seizures; Sesquiterpenes; Swimming

Trans-caryophyllene (TC), a component of essential oil found in many flowering plants, has shown its neuroprotective effects in various neurological disorders. However, the effects of TC on epilepsy haven't been reported before. In this study, we investigated the effect of TC on kainic acid-induced seizure activity caused by oxidative stress and pro-inflammation. We found that TC pretreatment significantly decreased seizure activity score compared to kainic acid treated group. Importantly, TC pretreatment leads to lowering the mortality in kainic acid treated mice. In addition, TC was found to significantly inhibit KA-induced generation of malondialdehyde. TC pretreatment also preserved the activity of GPx, SOD, and CAT. Notably, our data shows that an important property of TC is its capacity to exert cerebral anti-inflammatory effects by mitigating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-1β. These data suggest that TC has a potential protective effect on chemical induced seizure and brain damage.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Brain Chemistry; Cytokines; Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; Kainic Acid; Lipid Peroxidation; Mice; Neuroprotective Agents; Oxidative Stress; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Seizures; Sesquiterpenes