Pharmacological characterization of the neurotrophic sesquiterpene jiadifenolide reveals a non-convulsant signature and potential for progression in neurodegenerative disease studies.

ABSTRACT: The 'neurotrophic sesquiterpenes' refer to a group of molecules derived from the Illicium genus of flowering plant. They display neurotrophic effects in cultured neuron preparations and have been suggested to be cognitive enhancers and potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders and dementias. Recent synthetic advances generated sufficient quantities of jiadifenolide for in vivo investigation into its biological effects. Jiadifenolide did not induce convulsions in mice nor did it enhance or diminish convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazole. Other negative allosteric modulators of GABA_A receptors, picrotoxin, tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS), and bilobalide all induced convulsions. Either i.p. or i.c.v. dosing generated micromolar plasma and brain levels of jiadi

SUBMITTER: Witkin JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6135676 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature