Evaluation of the anticonvulsant activities of Gastrodia elata Bl.-Acorus tatarinowii decoction on experimentally induced seizures in mice

Epilepsy is a serious public health problem in the world. At present, over 30% of affected patients remain refractory to current available treatment. Medicinal plants as pharmaceuticals and healthcare treatments have been frequently used in the management of epilepsy in China for many centuries. Gastrodia elata Bl.-Acorus tatarinowii (GEAT), as a classic and most commonly used herb pair in in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been employed to control seizures for thousands of years. However, the animal experiment data of its anticonvulsant effect is limited in the literature. The objective of this study was to mainly analyze the anticonvulsant activity of GEAT decoction in maximal electroshock (MES), pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and trimercaptopropionic acid (3-MP) induced acute seizures in mice, providing a scientific basis for the treatment of convulsive disorders in traditional medicine. In addition, PTZ-induced kindling models were conducted to investigate the seizure severity, anxiety and cognitive profile, inflammation, and oxidative stress parameters in mice. The results showed that GEAT decoction dose-dependently protected mice against MES, 3-MP and PTZ induced acute seizures. Meanwhile, GEAT decoction ameliorated seizure severity, decreased the accumulation of inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, mitigated oxidative stress, as well as alleviated anxious-like behavior and cognitive deficits in PTZ-kindled mice. Our data evidenced that GEAT decoction possesses certain anticonvulsant properties, which might be clinically useful as a phytotherapy alone or as an adjunct therapy for the prevention and treatment of seizures and epilepsy.

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