From Garden to Lab: New Research Suggests Plant-Based Compound Could Pave the Way to Safe and Effective Antiseizure Medications
Imagine a common plant compound, already part of herbal supplements, effectively suppressing seizures — and doing so in a living brain model. That’s exactly what new research by University of Richmond biology professor Colleen Carpenter-Swanson explores.
“Current epilepsy treatments often fail to provide sufficient control over seizures, highlighting the need for new therapeutic agents,” she said.
In a recent article, “Validating the antiseizure effects of vitexin and related flavone glycosides in zebrafish,” published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, Carpenter-Swanson and her team of undergraduate research students use zebrafish models to investigate whether vitexin, a natural compound found in various plants, can be used in antiseizure medications.
Carpenter-Swanson argues that the natural compound vitexin is a candidate for safer, plant-derived antiseizure therapies — especially for populations where current options are limited by cost, side effects, or accessibility.
“This study strengthens the push for plant-derived neuroscience therapeutics,” she said. “Our zebrafish model shows that vitexin markedly reduces seizure-like activity with no detectable harm, making it a compelling candidate for further research.”
What is vitexin?
Dr. Carpenter-Swanson: Vitexin is a flavonoid, which is a plant-based compound known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is naturally found in plants such as passion flowers, mung bean, hawthorn, and bamboo.
This is a fantastic example of how ideas sparked in the classroom can grow into meaningful research. My interest in vitexin began with a student-driven project in my upper-level course, “Drugs & Genetics,” where students identified studies showing that vitexin suppressed seizure activity in rodent models. Intrigued by these findings, I decided to further explore its potential in my own lab. A dedicated group of my research students then assessed the antiseizure effects of vitexin and a panel of structurally related compounds using zebrafish.
Why do you use zebrafish in your research?
Zebrafish are excellent research models. They have similar genetics and brain chemistry to humans, and they mature from embryo to adult quickly.
How did you test vitexin on zebrafish?
Zebrafish larvae were exposed to a seizure-inducing chemical and then we evaluated motor behavior, including swimming and hyperactivity, as well as electrophysiological brain activity, both before and after administering vitexin.
Does vitexin suppress seizure activity?
We saw a significant reduction in seizure-like movements and hyperactivity in zebrafish following vitexin treatment. Our electrophysiological monitoring also showed lower seizure spike rates in treated fish. And we saw no to minimal side effects as the treated zebrafish developed normally.