Assessment of luteolin isolated from Eclipta alba leaves in animal models of epilepsy.

CONTEXT: Eclipta alba (Linn) Hassk. (Asteraceae) has been reported to be a nerve tonic and has been used to treat epilepsy in folk medicine.

OBJECTIVE: The present study isolates and characterizes luteolin from E. alba and evaluates its antiepileptic potential in chemically induced acute and chronic models in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methanol extract (16.85% w/w) of E. alba leaves was subjected to fractionation for isolation of luteolin. In acute pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) model, luteolin (5, 10, 20 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 30 min prior to PTZ injection (100 mg/kg) in Swiss albino mice. Kindling was induced by chronic administration of PTZ (35 mg/kg) on every alternate day (48 days). Luteolin was investigated on the course of kindling development and oxidative stress markers [reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA)] in kindled mice.

RESULTS: Single-dose pretreatment with luteolin (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) was found to be effective in an acute PTZ model (100% protection from mortality) and it did not exhibit any effect on motor coordination at the same doses. PTZ-induced kindling was significantly (p < 0.001) prevented by luteolin (5, 10, 20 mg/kg, i.p.) in a dose-dependent manner. Luteolin restored levels of reduced GSH (p < 0.001) and decreased the level of MDA (p < 0.001), a marker of lipid peroxidation.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrated that luteolin had an anticonvulsant effect in an acute PTZ model. Luteolin exhibited and inhibitory effect on the course of kindling and associated oxidative stress and hence could be a potential molecule in the treatment of epilepsy.