Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Epilepsy is an episodic neurological disorder that affects up to 1% of the population, 2nd to stroke Prevalence of active epilepsy is ~2.5 million in the United States. 181,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed/ year. Incidence is highest under the age of 2 and over 65. In 70 percent of new cases, no cause is apparent (idiopathic vs symptomatic). Drug treatment is effective for only 65% of patients Medicinal plants are important source of new chemical substance with potential therapeutic effects (Eisner, 1990) Carissa edulis is a spiny evergreen shrub or a small tree that may reach a height of 5 feet. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate the anticonvulsant activities of the residual aqueous ethanolic Root Bark extract of C. edulis in laboratory animals. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS The residual aqueous (AP) ethanolic root bark extract of C. edulis possess anticonvulsant activity. Albino mice (18-25g) and White Ranger Cockerels (30-42g) Plant Extract Preparation AP Fraction Preparation Phytochemical Screening (Wagner and Bladt, 1996; FAO/IAEA, 2000; Pascual, 2002) LD50 Determination (Lorke, 1983) Anticonvulsant Screening PTZ-induced seizure in mice (Swinyard et al.,1989) MEST-induced seizures in chicks (Sayyah et al., 2002) 4-Aminopyridine-induced seizures in mice (Yamaguchi and Rogawski, 1992) Phytochemical constituents include; saponins (steroids and triterpenes) and tannins. LD50 282.8 mg/kg (CE) and 2154 mg/kg (AP) Fig1: Effect of aqueous portion (AP) fraction of Hydro-alcoholic root bark extract of Carissa edulis and sodium valproate on PTZ-induced seizures in mice. The fraction was given at doses of 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg and sodium valproate (VA) at dose of 200 mg/kg Dose (mg/kg) Protection (%) Mean Duration of seizure against seizure (min) Control 20.0 8.25 ± 0.96 AP (1.25) 10.0 9.11 ± 0.68 AP (2.5) 20.0 6.63 ± 0.80 AP (5) 0.0 8.00 ± 0.54 AP (10) 0.0 9.50 ± 2.54 PH (20) 100.0 0.0 Values were presented as Mean ± SEM, n=10, AP= Aqueous fraction and PH= Phenytoin The residual aqueous of ethanolic root bark extract of Carissa edulis possesses anticonvulsant activity that may be beneficial in the management of petit mal epilepsy Attempt should be made to elucidate the possible mechanism of action of the extract Further works should be carried out in order to isolate pure compounds responsible for the observed anticonvulsant activity