Background: Epilepsy affects more than 65 million people worldwide. Treatment for epileptic seizures is ineffective and has many adverse effects. For this reason, the search for new therapeutic options capable of filling these limitations is necessary.
Hypothesis/purpose: In this sense, natural products, such as monoterpenes, have been indicated as a new option to control neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
Study design: Therefore, the objective of this study was to review the monoterpenes that have anticonvulsive activity in animal models.
Methods: The searches were performed in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases in September, 2020 and compiled studies using monoterpenes as an alternative to seizure. Two independent reviewers performed the study selection, data extraction and methodological quality assessment using the Syrcle tool.
Results: 51 articles that described the anticonvulsant activity of 35 monoterpenes were selected with action on the main pharmacological target, including GABAA receptors, glutamate, calcium channels, sodium and potassium. In addition, these compounds are capable of reducing neuronal inflammation and oxidative stress caused by seizure.
Conclusion: These compounds stand out as a promising alternative for acting through different pharmacological mechanisms, which may not only reduce seizure, but also promote neuroprotective effect by reducing toxicity in brain regions. However, further studies are needed to determine the mechanism of action and safety assessment of these compounds.
Keywords: Monoterpenes; anticonvulsant; antiepileptic; epilepsy; seizure.
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