hippocampus and striatum were removed, and measurements were made of the nitrite concentration. Results: Strychnine test showed that SEJP caused an increase in the observed parameters when compared with control (latency to first seizure: SEJP25: 145.6 ± 5.38, SEJP50: 158.3 ± 7.08, SEJP100: 161.8 ± 9.57, phenobarbital: 221.4 ± 10.93, and control: 122.1 ± 3.86; latency to death: SEJP25: 179.1 ± 9.39, SEJP50: 178.8 ± 7.10, SEJP100: 189.1 ± 7.7, phenobarbital: 233.5 ± 11.97, and control: 144 ± 4.92). Nitrite concen- tration in the hippocampus showed the following: SEJP25: 1.38 ± 0.04, SEJP50: 1.28 ± 0.09, SEJP100: 1.37 ±0.05, and control: 1.82 ± 0.07. Nitrite concentration in the striatum showed the following: SEJP25: 1.06 ± 0.03, SEJP50: 1.02 ± 0.04, SEJP100: 0.95 ± 0.05, and control: 1.32 ± 0.07. Discussion/conclusions: Our findings suggest anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects of SEJP modulated by the glycine system. Acknowledgments/financial support: CAPES, CNPq, and FUNCAP. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.08.115 083 — (VEN0161) Anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects of chamba (Justicia pectoralis) in mice: Involvement of GABA receptor E.T. Venâncio a , M.L. Feitosa a , M.I. Linhares a , C.N.C. Lima a , A.H. Silva b , L.K.A.M. Leal a,b , M.M. Fonteles a,b a Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Brazil b Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Odontology and Nursing, Federal University of Ceara, Brazil Rationale: Herbal medicines have consistently been an important source of therapeutic agents, including in the treatment of seizures, purportedly with less side effects. In this context, Justicia pectoralis, popularly named chamba in Brazil, is a plant widely used in popular medicine, and its effect on the central nervous system should be investigated more. This work aimed to evaluate the possible anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects of standardized extract of J. pectoralis (SEJP) in a seizure model with picrotoxin. Methods: To investigate a possible anticonvulsant and antioxidant action, female Swiss mice were treated with SEJP (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) or phenobarbital (10 mg/kg, p.o.), and after 1 h, all groups received picrotoxin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in order to study the involvement of the GABAA receptor in the anticonvulsant effect. The parameters latency to first seizure and latency to death were observed for 30 min. For antioxidant analysis, the hippocampus was removed, and measurements were made of the activity of catalase and nitrite concentration. Results: The picrotoxin test showed that SEJP caused an increase in the observed parameters when compared with control (latency to first seizure: SEJP50: 492 ± 12.41, SEJP100: 500.5 ± 21.37, phenobarbital: 665 ± 42.86, and control: 412.8 ± 11.53; latency to death: SEJP50: 1138 ± 56.06, SEJP100: 1167 ± 104.3, phenobarbital: 1604 ± 139.8, and control: 790.7 ± 35.73). Catalase activity showed that SEJP in- creased when compared with control (SEJP50: 6574 ± 1063, SEJP100: 7377 ± 726.5, and control: 3188 ± 449.2). Nitrite concentration showed that SEJP decreased when compared with control (SEJP25: 1.40 ± 0.06, SEJP50: 1.54 ± 0.10, SEJP100: 1.19 ± 0.07, and control: 2.59 ± 0.46). Discussion/conclusions: Our findings suggest anticonvulsant and antioxidant effects of SEJP modulated by the GABA system. Acknowledgments/financial support: CAPES, CNPq, and FUNCAP. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.08.116 084 — (VIA0027) Involvement of the GABAergic system in the anxiolytic-like effect of the Citrus limon essential oil in mice M.D.M. Viana, E.S. Freitas, G.J. Silva-Neto, L.M.S. Oliveira, A.C.S. Vieira, E.A. Campesatto, M.S. Alexandre-Moreira Universidade Federal de Alagoas — UFAL, Brazil Rationale: The current treatments for anxiety disorders have multiple adverse effects in addition to a delayed onset of action, which has prompted efforts to find new substances with potential activity in this disorder. Citrus limon was chosen based on ethnopharmacological data since traditional medicine refers to the Citrus genus as useful in diminishing the symptoms of anxiety or insomnia. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the essential oil (EO) of C. limon presents an anxiolytic effect in murine models. In this regard, the aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of GABAergic and dopaminergic pathways in the mechanism of anxiolytic action of the oil from the fruit peels of lemon in mice. Methods: The experimental procedures were performed with oil of C. limon in the way it is marketed (Ferquima Ind. e Com Ltda, São Paulo). Swiss male mice (25–35 g, n = 8) were divided into groups and tested in the following models: elevated plus maze (EPM) to evaluate GABAergic pathway by using diazepam (DZP), 1.5 mg/kg, and its antagonist flumazenil (FLU), 2 mg/kg, both intraperitone- ally. In the EPM, we recorded the number of entries into the open and closed arms (EOA and ECA) and the percentage of time in both (%TOA and %TCA); catalepsy test to evaluate dopaminergic pathway by using haloperidol (HALO), 1 mg/kg, i.p. We evaluated the time when the animals stayed on the bar four times after the treatments. The control groups were treated with saline (SAL), 10 mL/kg, and the tested group with the EO in the dose of 300 mg/ kg, orally. The experiments were approved by the Ethics Commit- tee for Animal Research of UFAL (protocol number: 055/2013). Results: In the EPM, as expected, FLU reversed the DZP effect (FLU + DZP = EBA: 5.0 ± 0.7; %TBA: 20.8 ± 5.0), decreasing sig- nificantly the magnitude of the DZP action (EBA: 17.1 ± 0.7; %TBA: 73.3 ± 1.2). The same was observed by the coadministration of this antagonist with the oil (FLU + EO = EBA: 6.7 ± 0.4; %TBA: 25.6 ±2.4), also reversing its effect (EO = EBA: 16.6 ± 0.8; %TBA: 66.1 ±2.7). In the catalepsy test, catatonic action mediated by HALO in D2 receptors significantly increased the time the animal remained catatonic on the bar in four of the evaluated times (HALO = 30′: 108.3 ± 7.7; 60′: 147.0 ± 0.6; 120′: 215.5 ± 16.8; 180′: 251.2 ± 9.6) compared with SAL (30′: 10.38 ± 0.9; 60′: 15.5 ± 1.4; 120′: 15.5 ±1.3; 180′: 24.0 ± 1.5) and with EO (30′: 13.3 ± 1.1; 60′: 19.1 ± 2.7; 120′: 43.67 ± 4.4; 180′: 42.0 ± 4.1). Discussion/conclusions: Our results showed that EO was not able to antagonize the dopaminergic pathway in the catalepsy assay and that flumazenil was able to reverse the effect of EO in the model of generalized anxiety, suggesting the possible action of EO through the GABA–benzodiazepine receptor system. Acknowledgments/financial support: INCT-INOFAR, CNPq, and FAPEAL. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.08.117 085 — (VIZ0026) Astrogliosis in the chronic phase of the rat LiCl–pilocarpine model of status epilepticus A.F. Vizuete, C.M. Loss, C.A. Gonçalves, D.L. de Oliveira Dept. Biochemistry, UFRGS, Brazil Abstracts 218