Abstract
Tilia genus is commonly used around the world for its central nervous system properties; it is prepared as tea and used as tranquilizing, anticonvulsant, and analgesic. In this study, anticonvulsant activity of the Tilia americana var. mexicana inflorescences and leaves was investigated by evaluating organic and aqueous extracts (100, 300, and 600 mg/kg, i.p.) and some flavonoids in the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice. Moreover, antioxidant effect of these extracts and flavonoids was examined in an in vitro study by using spectrophotometric technique. Significant activity was observed in the methanol extract from inflorescences. An HPLC analysis of the methanol extract from inflorescences and leaves of Tilia allowed demonstrating the respective presence of some partial responsible flavonoid constituents: quercetin (20.09 ± 1.20 μg/mg and 3.39 ± 0.10 μg/mg), rutin (3.52 ± 0.21 μg/mg and 8.94 ± 0.45 μg/mg), and isoquercitrin (1.74 ± 0.01 μg/mg and 1.24 ± 0.13 μg/mg). In addition, significant but different antioxidant properties were obtained among the flavonoids and the extracts investigated. Our results provide evidence of the anticonvulsant activity of Tilia reinforcing its utility for central nervous system diseases whose mechanism of action might involve partial antioxidant effects due to the presence of flavonoids.
Highlights
The Tilia genus belongs to the Tiliaceae family, which consists of 25–80 species, and it is mainly distributed in Europe and Asia, with a few species in North America [1, 2]
Pretreatment with the methanol extract at 300 and 600 mg/kg delayed the onset of the first myoclonic (2.74 ± 0.46 min and 2.34 ± 0.21 min), generalized, and tonic (25.68 ± 2.31 and 28.99±1.01 min, P < 0.05) seizures induced by PTZ in mice (Figures 2(a)–2(c))
Regarding leaves of Tilia, the methanol and aqueous extracts did not modify the onset of seizures at the highest dosage tested (600 mg/kg, i.p.) (Figures 2(a)–2(c))
Summary
The Tilia genus belongs to the Tiliaceae family, which consists of 25–80 species, and it is mainly distributed in Europe and Asia, with a few species in North America [1, 2]. In Mexico, T. americana is known as Tilia and it is distributed in 14 states across both the northern and southern parts of the country [3]. This plant has a wide geographical distribution; the populations of this species are confined to the lower mountainous forest that covers less than 1% of Mexican territory [4]. The knowledge of the potential contribution of the differences in the flavonoid pattern between inflorescences and leaves of Tilia on its therapeutic properties is unknown
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