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Implication of nitrergic system in the anticonvulsant effects of ferulic acid in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in male mice

  • Hossein Amini-Khoei , Shakiba Nasiri Boroujeni , Zahra Lorigooini , Arash Salehi , Reihaneh Sadeghian and Mohammad Rahimi-Madiseh EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: August 19, 2021
Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology
From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 34 Issue 2

Abstract

Objectives

Seizures are abnormal discharge of neurons in the brain. Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic compound with antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. The present study aimed to investigate the role of the nitrergic system in the anticonvulsant effect of FA in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in male mice.

Methods

64 male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice weighing 25–29 g were randomly divided into eight experimental groups (n=8). FA at doses 5, 10, and 40 mg/kg alone and in combination with L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) or L-arginine (L-arg) (nitric oxide [NO] precursor) was administrated (intraperitoneal). PTZ was injected (i.v. route) 30 min after drugs administration (1 mL/min). Seizure onset time was recorded and the nitrite levels of prefrontal cortex and serum were determined by the Griess method.

Results

FA at doses of 10 and 40 mg/kg significantly increased the seizure threshold as well as reduced the serum and brain NO levels in comparison to the saline-received group. Co-administration of the effective dose of FA (10 mg/kg) plus L-arg significantly decreased the seizure threshold in comparison to the effective dose of FA alone. Co-injection of the sub-effective dose of FA (5 mg/kg) with L-NAME significantly increased the seizure threshold as well as significantly decreased the brain NO level in comparison to the sub-effective dose of FA alone.

Conclusions

We showed that the nitrergic system, partially at least, mediated the anticonvulsant effect of FA in PTZ-induced seizures in mice. We concluded that L-NAME potentiated while L-arg attenuated the anticonvulsant effect of FA.

Keywords: ferulic acid; mice; nitrergic system; PTZ; seizure
Corresponding author: Mohammad Rahimi-Madiseh, Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran, E-mail:

Funding source: Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

Award Identifier / Grant number: 2040

Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful for Medical Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran, for supporting this study.

  1. Research funding: This study was supported by a research grant (2040) from Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.

  2. Author contributions: HAK: study design, performed experiments and writing the manuscript, SNB: performed experiment and collecting data, ZL: data analysis, AS: performed experiments, RS: edited manuscript, and MRM: study design, writing manuscript.

  3. Competing interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare regarding the study described in this article and preparation of the article.

  4. Informed consent: All authors are agreed to publish this manuscript.

  5. Ethical approval: All procedures were carried out in accordance with the regulations of the University and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of National Institutes of Health (Ethics code: IR.SKUMS.REC.1398.031) and Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (eighth edition, National Academies Press). Full efforts were made to reduce the use of animals and to advance their welfare.

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Received: 2020-12-05
Accepted: 2021-07-17
Published Online: 2021-08-19

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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  2. Editorial
  3. The clinical potential of flavonoids in Peyronie’s disease
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  13. Implication of nitrergic system in the anticonvulsant effects of ferulic acid in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in male mice
  14. The effects of G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) on cardiac glucose metabolism in diabetic ovariectomized female rats
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  18. Letter to the Editor
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https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2020-0496
Keywords for this article
ferulic acid; mice; nitrergic system; PTZ; seizure

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. The clinical potential of flavonoids in Peyronie’s disease
  4. Reviews
  5. Emphasizing roles of BDNF promoters and inducers in Alzheimer's disease for improving impaired cognition and memory
  6. Diabetic wound healing approaches: an update
  7. Metformin: new applications for an old drug
  8. Bispecific antibodies and its applications: a novel approach for targeting SARS-Cov-2
  9. A review on pulmonary and mediastinal synovial sarcoma
  10. Original Articles
  11. Cytokine release by human bone marrow stromal cells isolated from osteoarthritic and diabetic osteoarthritic patients in vitro
  12. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of olive leaf extract treatment in diabetic rat brain
  13. Implication of nitrergic system in the anticonvulsant effects of ferulic acid in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in male mice
  14. The effects of G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) on cardiac glucose metabolism in diabetic ovariectomized female rats
  15. Effects of weight-bearing vs. non-weight-bearing endurance exercise on reducing body fat and inflammatory markers in obese females
  16. [Lys5,MeLeu9,Nle10]-NKA(4–10) induces neurokinin 2 receptor mediated urination and defecation and neurokinin 1 receptor mediated flushing in rats: measured using the rapid detection voiding assay
  17. Single 30 min treadmill exercise session suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in obese female adolescents
  18. Letter to the Editor
  19. Effect of tirzepatide on prediabetics and blood pressure with implications for future research
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