Computer-aided identification of anticonvulsant effect of natural non-nutritive sweeteners Stevioside and Rebaudioside A

MAURICIO E. DI IANNI; MARÍA ELENA DEL VALLE; ANDREA V. ENRIQUE; MARÍA A. ROSELLA; FIORELLA BRUNO; LUIS E. BRUNO-BLANCH; ALAN TALEVI

ASSAY AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIES

MARY ANN LIEBERT INC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2015 vol. 13 p. 313 - 318

1540-658X

Steviol glycosides are natural constituents of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bert. (Asteraceae) which have recently gained worldwide approval as non-nutritive sweeteners by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives. Cheminformatic tools suggested the aglycone steviol and several of its phase I metabolites were predicted as potential anticonvulsant agents effective in the seizure animal model Maximal Electroshock (MES) test. Thus, aqueous infusion from S. rebaudiana was tested in the MES test (mice, ip administration), confirming dose-dependent Anticonvulsant effect. Afterwards, isolated stevioside and rebaudioside A were tested in the MES test, with positive results. Though drug repositioning most often focuses on known therapeutics, the article illustrates the possibilities of this strategy to find new functionalities and therapeutic indications for food constituents and natural products.