Hispidulin, a constituent of Clerodendrum inerme that remitted motor tics, alleviated methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion without motor impairment in mice.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Previously, we found a patient with an intractable motor tic disorder that could be ameliorated by the ground leaf juice of Clerodendrum inerme (CI). Furthermore, the ethanol extract of CI leaves effectively ameliorated methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion (MIH) in mice, an animal model mimicking the hyper-dopaminergic status of tic disorders/Tourette syndrome, schizophrenia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Here, we for the first time identified a constituent able to reduce MIH from the CI ethanol extract that might represent a novel lead for the treatment of such disorders.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The ethanol extract of CI was sub-divided into n-hexane, dichloromethane, n-butanol and water fractions. Using MIH alleviation as a bioassay, active compounds were identified in these fractions using silica gel chromatography, recrystallization and proton NMR spectroscopy.

RESULTS:

The dichloromethane and n-hexane fractions were active in the bioassay. Further subfractionation and re-crystallization resulted in an active compound that was identified to be hispidulin by proton NMR spectroscopy. Hispidulin significantly alleviated MIH in mice at doses that did not affect their spontaneous locomotor activity or performance in the rotarod test, a measure for motor coordination.

CONCLUSIONS:

Hispidulin is a flavonoid that has been isolated from several plants and reported to have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Here, we for the very first time found that hispidulin can also alleviate MIH at doses that did not impair motor activity, suggesting a therapeutic potential of hispidulin in hyper-dopaminergic disorders.

• Authors: Wei-Jan Huang, Hsin-Jung Lee, Hon-Lie Chen, Pi-Chuan Fan, Yuan-Ling Ku, Lih-Chu Chiou
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 166 Pg. 18-22 (May 26 2015) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 25764963 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Flavones
• Plant Extracts
• Methamphetamine
• hispidulin

Topics

• Animals
• Clerodendrum (chemistry)
• Ethnopharmacology (methods)
• Flavones (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Male
• Methamphetamine (pharmacology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Motor Activity (drug effects)
• Phytotherapy (methods)
• Plant Extracts (chemistry, pharmacology)