Effect of Zembrin® and four of its alkaloid constituents on electric excitability of the rat hippocampus

Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Wilfried DimpfelLeonie Schombert

Abstract

Sceletium tortuosum (Mesembryanthemaceae), a succulent plant indigenous to South Africa. is consumed in the form of teas, decoctions and tinctures and is sometimes smoked and used as snuff. In recent years, Sceletium has received a great deal of commercial interest for relieving stress in healthy people, and for treating a broad range of psychological, psychiatric and inflammatory conditions. The whole extract (Zembrin®) was tested ex vivo in the hippocampus slice preparation after one week of daily oral administration of 5 and 10 mg/kg. Four alkaloids - mesembrine, mesembranol, mesembrenol and mesembrenone - were tested directly in vitro. All four were also tested in the presence of different glutamate receptor agonists. Zembrin® ex vivo as well as all alkaloids in vitro attenuated the amplitude of the population spike during electric stimulation as single shock as well as theta burst stimulation. Only Mesembranol and Mesembrenol having a hydroxyl group at position C6 instead of carbonyl group as in mesembrine and mesembrenone acted by attenuation of AMPA receptor mediated transmission as documented for the whole extract. The current experimental series revealed a new physiological effect of Zembrin® on the electric activity o...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 4, 2020·Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan·Jun OgataRuri Kikura-Hanajiri

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