Prunus domestica L. is an edible plant that is included in the family Rosaceae and proven to possess potent anti-inflammatory and
anxiolytic activity. Pinoresinol-4-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (PGu) was isolated from Prunus domestica
methanol extract and its structure was determined using 1-D and 2-D NMR (one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance). PGu was evaluated for its
anticonvulsant activity using
lithium/
pilocarpine-induced epileptic
seizures in rats. PGu displayed a notable
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. It ameliorates the
seizures triggered by
pilocarpine in a dose-dependent manner, manifested by retarding seizure onset, reducing the number of rats developing
seizures, and enhancing the survival of animals after seizure exposure. PGu reduced MDA (
malondialdehyde) level by 24.2% in addition to increasing
catalase activity by 44.4% at 50 mg/kg b.w compared to
pilocarpine-treated animals. This was confirmed by histopathological examination in which pretreatment with PGu (50 mg/kg b.w.) attenuated neurodegeneration and
seizures with no histopathological alteration in neurons of the cerebral cortex. In the immunohistochemical examination, it significantly declined the elevated
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by 40% and decreased
Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression by 18% as expressed by the optical density. PGu revealed a pronounced fitting within the active site of 5-LOX (lipoxygenase-5) with a free binding energy (∆G) equals to -65.05 kcal/mol. PGu could perfectly serve as a potent lead
drug for the relief of epileptic
seizures, which appeals to many patients owing to its natural origin.