Anticonvulsant effects of medicinal plants with emphasis on mechanisms of action

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Author: Zahra Rabiei
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017
• Subjects: Epileptic seizure; Anticonvulsant; Medicinal plants; Oxidative stress; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2016.11.028; https://doaj.org/article/2db92706d5034634b9dd16994319d4fc

Epilepsy is a disorder in brain in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, occasionally signal abnormally and cause strange emotions, sensations, and behavior, or sometimes muscle spasms, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. Neurotransmitters in central nervous system greatly affect and play a very important part in neuronal excitability. Traditional treatments are still a component of health care system in many communities despite the fact that well-established alternatives are available. In this review article, we addressed epilepsy and its treatments with emphasis on medical plants and introduction of antiepileptic plants and their action mechanisms. Relevant articles published since 2010 were retrieved using the search terms including epileptic seizure, anticonvulsant, medicinal plants, and oxidative stress. Most plants/herbal preparations that are ethnomedically used to treat epilepsy or those which have been tested for anticonvulsant activity were reported. Overall, the results of the published articles show that the symptoms of epilepsy seizure can be inhibited or treated by active ingredients derived from medicinal plants.