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Effects of Piper nigrum L. on epileptiform activity in cortical wedges prepared from DBA/2 mice
Author(s) -
Hu Ruo Qi,
Davies J. A.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1573(199705)11:3<222::aid-ptr83>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - nmda receptor , chemistry , piperaceae , anticonvulsant , epilepsy , depolarization , pharmacology , receptor , medicine , piper , neuroscience , biology , biochemistry , traditional medicine
This study investigated the effect of a water extract of Piper nigrum L. on spontaneous depolarizations, accompanying afterpotentials and N ‐methyl‐ D ‐aspartate (NMDA)‐induced depolarizations in cortical wedges prepared from genetically epilepsy‐prone DBA/2 mice. Solutions of P. nigrum extract (0.5S, 1S and 2S) were administered when spontaneous depolarizations were well established in magnesium‐free perfusing medium. The 2S extract produced a significant reduction in the number of spontaneous depolarizations ( p <0.001) whilst the number of afterpotentials per burst was suppressed significantly by 1S and 2S ( p <0.05 and p <0.01, respectively). P. nigrum also decreased the amplitude of NMDA‐induced depolarizations ( p <0.001). The present results suggest that an antagonistic action at NMDA receptors might contribute to the anticonvulsant properties of P. nigrum . © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.