Activities of α-asarone in various animal seizure models and in biochemical assays might be essentially accounted for by antioxidant properties

Anticonvulsant properties of α-asarone were studied in mice at three doses with different toxicity. The 100 mg/kg dose decreased both treadmill performance and locomotor activity, caused hypothermia, and potentiated pentobarbital-induced sleep. The last two effects and no toxicity were observed at 60 and 22 mg/kg, respectively. In chemical (pentylenetetrazole, picrotoxin, N-methyl-d-aspartate, pilocarpine) and electrical (maximal electroshock) seizure tests, neither seizures nor death were prevented by 60 mg/kg α-asarone which, however, exhibited protective-like effects (delay in the onset of clonic and/or tonic seizures and/or in the death of mice). Magnesium deficiency-dependent audiogenic seizures responded to non-toxic doses of α-asarone (60 mg/kg and less): 22 mg/kg protecting 50% of tested animals. Because these seizures respond to both anti-seizure and antioxidant compounds, antioxidant properties of α-asarone were studied, indicating 5 Units of superoxide dismutase-like activity per mg α-asarone. Treatment of mice by α-asarone (daily dose of 100 mg/kg during 7 days) induced brain antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and reductase) in striatum and hippocampus and to a lesser extent in cortex. In view of recent findings about deleterious roles of chronic inflammatory/oxidant stresses in human epilepsy outcome, antioxidant and inductive properties of α-asarone are proposed to be coherent bases for traditional clinical efficacy.