Biomaterial Database

The bee venom active compound melittin protects against bicuculline-induced seizures and hippocampal astrocyte activation in rats. 2022

Beatriz Soares-Silva, and José Ivo Araújo Beserra-Filho, and Pamela Maria Araújo Morera, and Ana Claudia Custódio-Silva, and Amanda Maria-Macêdo, and Suellen Silva-Martins, and Vanessa Alexandre-Silva, and Sara Pereira Silva, and Regina Helena Silva, and Alessandra Mussi Ribeiro

Departament of Biosciences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil.

Epilepsy is a chronic neuropathology characterized by an abnormal hyperactivity of neurons that generate recurrent, spontaneous, paradoxical and synchronized nerve impulses, leading or not to seizures. This neurological disorder affects around 70 million individuals worldwide. Pharmacoresistance is observed in about 30% of the patients and long-term use of antiepileptics may induce serious side effects. Thus, there is an interest in the study of the therapeutic potential of bioactive substances isolated from natural products in the treatment of epilepsy. Arthropod venoms contain neurotoxins that have high affinity for molecular structures in the neural tissue such as receptors, transporters and ion channels both in glial and neuronal membranes. This study evaluated the potential neuroprotective effect of melittin (MEL), an active compound of bee venom, in the bicuculline-induced seizure model (BIC) in rats. Male Wistar rats (3 months, 250-300 g) were submitted to surgery for the implantation of a unilateral cannula in the lateral ventricle. After the recovery period, rats received a microinjection of saline solution or MEL (0.1 mg per animal). Firstly, rats were evaluated in the open field (20 min) and in the elevated plus maze (5 min) tests after received microinjection of saline or MEL. After, 30 min later animals received BIC (100 mg/ml) or saline, and their behaviors were analyzed for 20 min in the open field according to a seizure scale. At the end, rats were euthanized, brains collected and processed to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemistry evaluation. No changes were observed in MEL-treated rats in the open field and elevated plus maze. However, 90% of MEL-treated animals were protected against seizures induced by BIC. There was an increase in the latency for the onset of seizures, accompanied by a reduction of GFAP-immunoreactivity cells in the dentate gyrus and CA1. Thus, our study suggests that MEL has an anticonvulsant potential, and further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms involved in this action.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008555	Melitten	Basic polypeptide from the venom of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). It contains 26 amino acids, has cytolytic properties, causes contracture of muscle, releases histamine, and disrupts surface tension, probably due to lysis of cell and mitochondrial membranes.	Melittin,Mellitin
D006624	Hippocampus	A curved elevation of GRAY MATTER extending the entire length of the floor of the TEMPORAL HORN of the LATERAL VENTRICLE (see also TEMPORAL LOBE). The hippocampus proper, subiculum, and DENTATE GYRUS constitute the hippocampal formation. Sometimes authors include the ENTORHINAL CORTEX in the hippocampal formation.	Ammon Horn,Cornu Ammonis,Hippocampal Formation,Subiculum,Ammon's Horn,Hippocampus Proper,Ammons Horn,Formation, Hippocampal,Formations, Hippocampal,Hippocampal Formations,Hippocampus Propers,Horn, Ammon,Horn, Ammon's,Proper, Hippocampus,Propers, Hippocampus,Subiculums
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000927	Anticonvulsants	Drugs used to prevent SEIZURES or reduce their severity.	Anticonvulsant,Anticonvulsant Drug,Anticonvulsive Agent,Anticonvulsive Drug,Antiepileptic,Antiepileptic Agent,Antiepileptic Agents,Antiepileptic Drug,Anticonvulsant Drugs,Anticonvulsive Agents,Anticonvulsive Drugs,Antiepileptic Drugs,Antiepileptics,Agent, Anticonvulsive,Agent, Antiepileptic,Agents, Anticonvulsive,Agents, Antiepileptic,Drug, Anticonvulsant,Drug, Anticonvulsive,Drug, Antiepileptic,Drugs, Anticonvulsant,Drugs, Anticonvulsive,Drugs, Antiepileptic
D001253	Astrocytes	A class of large neuroglial (macroglial) cells in the central nervous system - the largest and most numerous neuroglial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Astrocytes (from "star" cells) are irregularly shaped with many long processes, including those with "end feet" which form the glial (limiting) membrane and directly and indirectly contribute to the BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER. They regulate the extracellular ionic and chemical environment, and "reactive astrocytes" (along with MICROGLIA) respond to injury.	Astroglia,Astroglia Cells,Astroglial Cells,Astrocyte,Astroglia Cell,Astroglial Cell,Astroglias,Cell, Astroglia,Cell, Astroglial
D001514	Bee Venoms	Toxins obtained from Apis mellifera (honey bee) and related species. They contain various enzymes, polypeptide toxins, and other substances, some of which are allergenic or immunogenic or both. These venoms were formerly used in rheumatism to stimulate the pituitary-adrenal system.	Apis Venoms,Honeybee Venom,Honeybee Venoms,Apitoxin,Bee Venom,Venom, Bee,Venom, Honeybee,Venoms, Apis,Venoms, Bee,Venoms, Honeybee
D001522	Behavior, Animal	The observable response an animal makes to any situation.	Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D001640	Bicuculline	An isoquinoline alkaloid obtained from Dicentra cucullaria and other plants. It is a competitive antagonist for GABA-A receptors.	6-(5,6,7,8-Tetrahydro-6-methyl-1,3-dioxolo(4,5-g)isoquinolin-5-yl)furo(3,4-e)1,3-benzodioxol-8(6H)one
D012640	Seizures	Clinical or subclinical disturbances of cortical function due to a sudden, abnormal, excessive, and disorganized discharge of brain cells. Clinical manifestations include abnormal motor, sensory and psychic phenomena. Recurrent seizures are usually referred to as EPILEPSY or "seizure disorder."	Absence Seizure,Absence Seizures,Atonic Absence Seizure,Atonic Seizure,Clonic Seizure,Complex Partial Seizure,Convulsion,Convulsions,Convulsive Seizure,Convulsive Seizures,Epileptic Seizure,Epileptic Seizures,Generalized Absence Seizure,Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures,Jacksonian Seizure,Myoclonic Seizure,Non-Epileptic Seizure,Nonepileptic Seizure,Partial Seizure,Seizure,Seizures, Convulsive,Seizures, Focal,Seizures, Generalized,Seizures, Motor,Seizures, Sensory,Tonic Clonic Seizure,Tonic Seizure,Tonic-Clonic Seizure,Atonic Absence Seizures,Atonic Seizures,Clonic Seizures,Complex Partial Seizures,Convulsion, Non-Epileptic,Generalized Absence Seizures,Myoclonic Seizures,Non-Epileptic Seizures,Nonepileptic Seizures,Partial Seizures,Petit Mal Convulsion,Seizures, Auditory,Seizures, Clonic,Seizures, Epileptic,Seizures, Gustatory,Seizures, Olfactory,Seizures, Somatosensory,Seizures, Tonic,Seizures, Tonic-Clonic,Seizures, Vertiginous,Seizures, Vestibular,Seizures, Visual,Single Seizure,Tonic Seizures,Tonic-Clonic Seizures,Absence Seizure, Atonic,Absence Seizure, Generalized,Absence Seizures, Atonic,Absence Seizures, Generalized,Auditory Seizure,Auditory Seizures,Clonic Seizure, Tonic,Clonic Seizures, Tonic,Convulsion, Non Epileptic,Convulsion, Petit Mal,Convulsions, Non-Epileptic,Focal Seizure,Focal Seizures,Generalized Seizure,Generalized Seizures,Generalized Tonic Clonic Seizures,Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure,Gustatory Seizure,Gustatory Seizures,Motor Seizure,Motor Seizures,Non Epileptic Seizure,Non Epileptic Seizures,Non-Epileptic Convulsion,Non-Epileptic Convulsions,Olfactory Seizure,Olfactory Seizures,Partial Seizure, Complex,Partial Seizures, Complex,Seizure, Absence,Seizure, Atonic,Seizure, Atonic Absence,Seizure, Auditory,Seizure, Clonic,Seizure, Complex Partial,Seizure, Convulsive,Seizure, Epileptic,Seizure, Focal,Seizure, Generalized,Seizure, Generalized Absence,Seizure, Generalized Tonic-Clonic,Seizure, Gustatory,Seizure, Jacksonian,Seizure, Motor,Seizure, Myoclonic,Seizure, Non-Epileptic,Seizure, Nonepileptic,Seizure, Olfactory,Seizure, Partial,Seizure, Sensory,Seizure, Single,Seizure, Somatosensory,Seizure, Tonic,Seizure, Tonic Clonic,Seizure, Tonic-Clonic,Seizure, Vertiginous,Seizure, Vestibular,Seizure, Visual,Seizures, Generalized Tonic-Clonic,Seizures, Nonepileptic,Sensory Seizure,Sensory Seizures,Single Seizures,Somatosensory Seizure,Somatosensory Seizures,Tonic Clonic Seizures,Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Generalized,Tonic-Clonic Seizures, Generalized,Vertiginous Seizure,Vertiginous Seizures,Vestibular Seizure,Vestibular Seizures,Visual Seizure,Visual Seizures