New Insights Into the Anticonvulsant Effects of Essential Oil From Melissa officinalis L. (Lemon Balm)

Abstract

Melissa officinalis L. is used in traditional European and Iranian folk medicines to treat a plethora of neurological diseases including epilepsy. We utilized the in vitro and in vivo models of epilepsy to probe the anticonvulsant potentials of essential oil from M. officinalis (MO) to gain insight into the scientific basis for its applications in traditional medicine for the management of convulsive disorders. MO was evaluated for effects on maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) -induced seizures in mice, on 4–aminopyridine (4-AP)-brain slice model of epilepsy and sustained repetitive firing of current clamped neurons; and its ameliorative effects were examined on seizure severity, anxiety, depression, cognitive dysfunction, oxidative stress and neuronal cell loss in PTZ-kindled rats. MO reversibly blocked spontaneous ictal-like discharges in the 4-AP-brain slice model of epilepsy and secondary spikes from sustained repetitive firing, suggesting anticonvulsant effects and voltage-gated sodium channel blockade. MO protected mice from PTZ– and MES–induced seizures and mortality, and ameliorated seizure severity, fear-avoidance, depressive-like behavior, cognitive deficits, oxidative stress and neuronal cell loss in PTZ–kindled rats. The findings warrant further study for the potential use of MO and/or its constituent(s) as adjunctive therapy for epileptic patients.

Evaluation of the Anticonvulsant Activities of Gastrodia Elata Bl.- Acorus Tatarinowii Decoction on Experimentally Induced Seizures in Mice

“…In the pathogenesis of chronic epilepsy, a large number of superoxide anions can be produced, and the endogenous antioxidant enzymes SOD, GSH, GSR and cat are rapidly consumed, resulting in the production of a large number of toxic lipid peroxide increased and induced the oxidative stress. In addition, in PTZ-induced kindling in mice, it was found that reactive oxygen species was activated, and its production agrees with decrease in antioxidant related enzymes (Frantz et al 2017;Chindo et al 2021). In this study, we found that treated with GEAT decoction reduced MDA levels in PTZ-kindled mouse hippocampus, while increased CAT and SOD activities, as well as increased GSH levels when compared with that of PTZ-kindled mice.…”

“…Studies have found that epilepsy is also closely related to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction (Chindo et al 2021). The production of free radicals plays an important role in biological function regulation, cell structure damage and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system.…”

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) Essential Oil Moderately Affects Strychnine-Induced and Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Convulsions —In Silico and In Vivo Studies

“…35 A recent study showed that the essential oil of M. officinalis reduces hippocampal neuron firing through the inhibition of the voltage-gated sodium channel. 36…”

“…35 A recent study showed that the essential oil of M. officinalis reduces hippocampal neuron firing through the inhibition of the voltage-gated sodium channel. 36 The occurrence of HLTE is often used as an endpoint for the quantification of PTZ-induced convulsions and is described when an angle of the hindlimbs to the torso exceeds 90°. 37 In the case of DZP-treated mice, as well as those from the controltreated and citronellal-treated groups, the occurrence of HLTE was postponed from the initial convulsion for almost double the time needed for convulsions to occur (Figure 1B).…”

Comparative anticonvulsant studies on ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Zingiber Officinale Roscoe rhizome in mice and chicks

“…About 30-40% of the patients that received treatment experience numerous adverse effects associated with the current antiepileptic drugs (Zhul et al, 2014). Also, the current antiepileptic drugs are effective in only 30-40% of the patients, neither provide a cure for epilepsy nor prevent the progression of epilepsy disease (Doeser et al, 2015;Chindo et al, 2021). Thus, there is need for continuous search for safer and more efficacious antiepileptic agents that will improve the patients 'quality of life.…”