Abstract

EVALUATION OF SYRINGIC ACID FOR ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITY IN MICE

Priyanka Yadav*, Dinesh Dhingra, Mamta Yadav and Deepika Yadav

ABSTRACT

The aim of present study was to evaluate anticonvulsant activity of syringic acid after acute and chronic administration in Swiss male young albino mice. PTZ and picrotoxin were used to induce convulsions in mice. Effects of acute treatment (single dose administration) and chronic treatment (for fifteen successive days) of syringic acid (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) and diazepam (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) per se were evaluated on PTZ and picrotoxin-induced convulsions. Brain GABA level of all the animals were also measured. PTZ and picrotoxin induced tonic and clonic convulsions in mice. Acute administration of syringic acid (10 and 20 mg/kg) and chronic administration of syringic acid (5,10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly delayed onset of convulsions, decreased duration of clonic and tonic convulsions; reduced mortality and increased brain GABA levels as compared to PTZ treated mice. Chronic administration of syringic acid (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) also showed significant protection against picrotoxin-induced convulsions. Anticonvulsant effect of syringic acid was better after chronic administration than acute administration in PTZ-induced convulsions model, as indicated by better delay in onset of convulsions, reduction in duration of clonic and tonic convulsions; and percent mortality. Acute as well as chronic administration of diazepam showed significant anticonvulsant activity and increased brain GABA levels in mice. In conclusion, syringic acid showed significant anticonvulsant effect against PTZ and picrotoxin-induced convulsions in mice probably through increase of brain GABA levels. Further studies are required to explore other mechanisms of anticonvulsant action of syringic acid.

Keywords: Anticonvulsant activity, Syringic acid, Mice, GABA, Picrotoxin.