m.mohammad

Although hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. had Anticonvulsants effect on PTZ-induced kindling seizure behavior, but on the amygdala kindling in rats induced seizure has not been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the chronic effects of hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. on seizures using electrical amygdala kindling model. Rats were divided into six groups. They were kindled by stimulating the amygdala by consecutive daily. Then, treated by hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. (i.p. 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) and Afterdischarge Duration (ADD), Stage 4 latency (S4L) and Stage 5 duration (S5D) were recorded. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly increased stage 4 latency compare to the control group (P <0.05). Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. (400 mg/kg) injection stage 5 duration caused by amygdala electrical kindling. Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) injection significantly reduced ADD induced by amygdala kindling. The data showed that injection of hydro-alcoholic extracts of Anethum graveolens L. has anti-epileptic effect and increases the time required for amygdala kindling and may have anticonvulsant effects.

Harmaline is one of the beta carboline of Peganumharmal. Harmaline and other carbolines are inverse agonists for benzodiazepine receptors with many inverse effects of benzodiazepines including anxiety and CNS excitement. The aim of this study is the effect of harmaline on seizure- induced by amygdala kindling in rats.

in this experimental study, eighteen kindled wistar rats (3 groups) were injected intraperitoneally with saline and on the following day, with Harmaline (50, 25, 12.5 mg/kg). After discharge duration (ADD), stage 5 duration (S5D), stage 2 latency (S2L) and stage 4 latency (S4L) of seizures were recorded and compared with those of the saline groups.

Harmaline reduced S2L and S4L in 3 groups, and increased ADD and S5D not significantly but increased ADD only in group 15 mg/kg significantly (P<0.05).

The obtained results revealed that harmaline has proconvulsant effect and maybe via stimulation of excitatory pathways or blocking of inhibitory pathways, or any other excitatory mechanisms cause increase in neuron activity and firing.

Some rice cultivars have demonstrated allelopathic potential against most of the troublesome weed species in paddy fields. Hull extracts from 46 rice cultivars at various concentrations were used in bioassay tests to evaluate their effects on seedling growth of barnyardgrass. Hull extracts of cultivars Dashtisard and Dinorado showed higher inhibitory effects on root growth than the others while Alikazemi and Sepidrood had low inhibitory effects. Dinorado and Neda had high inhibitory effects on shoot growth, whereas hull extracts of Line-229 and USEN showed high stimulatory effects on shoot growth of barnyardgrass seedlings. The barnyardgrass roots were more sensitive to hull extracts than the shoot extracts. Hull extracts of five rice cultivars were identified with the highest inhibitory effect on barnyardgrass seedling growth, from which Dinorado, Neda, Dashtisard and IR-60 had inhibitory activities and Line- 229 had stimulatory potential. Inhibitory activity of rice hulls can be used to screen allelopathic rice cultivars. The cultivars with more hull allelopathic effects can lead us to cultivars with a natural source of herbicides. The genetic differences among rice cultivars exhibit variation in allelopathic effects on barnyardgrass growth. Breeding of Correspondence to: J. Asghari, Jafarasghari@yahoo.com J.Asghari et al 32 rice cultivars with greater allelopathic potential may provide natural herbicides for controlling weeds.