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. 2021 Dec 1;11(12):1803. doi: 10.3390/biom11121803

Table 1.

Neurological activities of carvone.

Molecules Origins Models Used Experimental Approaches Key Results References
(S)-(+)-Carvone and (R)-(−)-carvone Purchased Male Swiss mice Pentobarbital-induced sleeping time
Locomotor activity assessed in an activity cage
PTZ-induced convulsions
Pentobarbital-induced hypnosis
PTZ-induced seizure
PIC-induced seizure
LD50 = 484.2 mg/kg for (S)-(+)-carvone
LD50 = 426.6 mg/kg for (R)-(−)-carvone
Both enantiomers induced depressive effects
Both enantiomers significantly reduced ambulation
At 100 mg/kg, (R)-(−)-carvone was more effective than (S)-(+)-carvone in increasing pentobarbital sleeping duration
At 200 mg/kg, (S)-(+)-carvone improved the latency of convulsions produced by PTZ and PIC
(S)-(+)-carvone and (R)-(−)-carvone have depressant effects in the CNS
(S)-(+)-carvone has anticonvulsant-like activity
[9]
(+)-carvone, (−)-carvone Not reported The sciatic nerve of the frog (Rana ridibunda) from both sex Three-chambered recording bath for the assessment of local anesthetic activity Both carvone enantiomers elicited comparable responses
The action potential of the evoked compound was abolished in 6 to 7 min and had an immediate recovery of 83% to 87%
Both carvones acted in the same way as lidocaine (10 mM)
No recovery of the action potential of the elicited compound, when nerves have been exposed to carvones for more than 6–7 min
The unusual neurotoxic effect of C+ and C− may be a disadvantage for their use in clinical practice
[10]
(+)-carvone, (−)-carvone Purchased Adult male Wistar rats Sucrose-gap apparatus (ex vivo assay) for CAP-inhibitory effect C- was less potent (IC50 = 10.7 ± 0.07 mM) in reducing nerve excitability than C+ (IC50 = 8.7 ± 0.1 mM)
Both enantiomers acted in a similar manner
The structure–function relationship of the enantiomers was linked to the CAP inhibitory action
[11]
(R)-(−)- carvone and (S)-(+)-carvone Purchased Cultures of cortical neurons prepared from the cerebral cortices of fetal rats [3H] Flunitrazepam Binding
Cell viability assay
Both isomers blocked GABA-induced activation of [3H] Flunitrazepam binding
The doses required to produce negative receptor modulation were not lethal
The insecticidal effect of carvones can be explained by their interaction with the GABAA receptor at its non-competitive blocker region
[12]