Anticonvulsant Activity of the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Croton zambesicus (Euphorbiaceae) in Mice and Rats
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Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS Razi Institute for Drug Research
Abstract
To determine the anticonvulsant activity of the leaf extract of Croton zambesicus in mice and rats, and in
order to verify the traditional use of the plant in the treatment of epilepsy, the pentyleneterazole (PTZ) and
the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) models were used for assessing the anticonvulsant effects of
the aqueous leaf extract in mice and rats. In the PTZ test, the leaf extract (1000-2000 mg/kg p.o.) produced
a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the onset of seizures in rats and mice compared with the control
group. The aqueous extract (1500 and 2000 mg/kg p.o.) produced some protection (42.9%) in rats, while
1000 mg/kg p.o. of that produced significant protection (71.4%) against PTZ-induced convulsion in mice.
In the MES test, the aqueous extract (500-1500 mg/kg p.o.) produced a significant (p < 0.05) increase in
the onset of seizures compared with the control group. At 1500 mg/kg p.o., the extract also produced significant
protection (71.4%) against MES-induced convulsions in mice. The results obtained from this study
indicate that the aqueous leaf extract of Croton zambesicus may be beneficial in both absence and tonic
clonic seizures.
Description
Keywords
Croton zambesicus, Mice, Rats, Anticonvulsant, Pentylenetetrazole, MES test