Anticonvulsant and sedative effects of paederosidic acid isolated from Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merrill. in mice and rats

This study was designed to evaluate the anticonvulsant and sedative effects of paederosidic acid isolated from Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merrill. in mice and rats. In the present study, anticonvulsant activities of paederosidic acid were evaluated by maximal electroshock and pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in male mice. Then, pentobarbital sodium-induced sleeping time and locomotor activity tests in mice were used to evaluate the sedative effects of paederosidic acid. Finally, the mechanism of paederosidic acid was explored by evaluating the contents of Glu and GABA in the brain, and Western blot was used to measure GAD65 expression in the mouse brain. Paederosidic acid (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, ip) had significant anticonvulsant and sedative effects. Moreover, paederosidic acid increased brain gamma-aminobutyric acid and decreased glutamic acid in the brain, and it up-regulated expressions of GAD 65. In conclusion, our results suggest that paederosidic acid may be a promising future therapeutic agent for treatment of epilepsy. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.