Vitex negundo induces an anticonvulsant effect by inhibiting voltage gated sodium channels in murine Neuro 2A cell line

Pak J Pharm Sci. 2018 Jan;31(1(Suppl.)):297-303.

Abstract

Vitex negundo (Vn) extract is famous for the treatment of neurological diseases such as migraine and epilepsy. These neurological diseases have been associated with abnormally increased influx of sodium ions into the neurons. Drugs that inhibit voltage gated sodium channels can be used as potent anti-epileptics. Till now, the effects of Vn on sodium channels have not been investigated. Therefore, we have investigated the effects of methalonic fraction of Vn extract in Murine Neuro 2A cell line. Cells were cultured in a defined medium with or without the Vn extract (100 μg/ml). Sodium currents were recorded using whole-cell patch clamp method. The data show that methanolic extract of Vn inhibited sodium currents in a dose dependent manner (IC50 =161μg/ml). Vn (100 μg/ml) shifted the steady-state inactivation curve to the left or towards the hyper polarization state. However, Vn did not show any effects on outward rectifying potassium currents. Moreover, Vn (100 μg/ml) significantly reduced the sustained repetitive (48±4.8%, P<0.01) firing from neonatal hippocampal neurons at 12 DIV. Hence, our data suggested that inhibition of sodium channels by Vn may exert pharmacological effects in reducing pain and convulsions.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticonvulsants / administration & dosage
  • Anticonvulsants / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Mice
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • Vitex / chemistry*
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / administration & dosage
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / metabolism
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / pharmacology*
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels / metabolism

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Plant Extracts
  • Potassium Channels
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels