Acute Anticonvulsant Effect and Toxicity of <i>Senna tora</i> Leaves Extracts in Seizure Test in Mice

Abstract

Senna tora leaves are used as traditional medicine in Africa for the treatment of many disorders. In Cameroon, the leaves of this plant are used for the treatment of convulsions and malaria. No work has been interested on the anticonvulsant activity and toxicity of Senna tora as affected by solvent extraction. This study has the objective to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity and toxicity of Senna tora extracts. The extracts were produced by maceration in 4 different solvents (water, ethanol, methanol and hydroethanol) and by decoction. Several doses (45, 112.5, 225 and 450 mg / kg) of the five Senna tora extracts were tested for their efficacy against convulsion induced by bicuculin, kainic acid, strychnine and picrotoxin. Normal, negative and positive (phenobarbital and clonazepam treatment) control treatments were equally tested. Firstly, the animal received the treatment (per os), after 1 hour all they animals received the injection of convulsivant solution except normal control. Latency time and duration of convulsion were noted. For acute toxicity, the animals received one dose (5000mg/kg) of the different extracts and were observed during 7 days. As results, it appeared that the methanolic, ethanolic and hydroethanolic extract at the dose 450 mg/kg protected 80% of mice against convulsion induced by strychnine, picrotoxin. In addition, the plant induced a significant decreased of the duration of convulsions. Moreover, no dead nor toxicity were observed for administration doses less than 5000 mg/kg body weight. Definitively, Senna tora extracts exhibit anticonvulsant and are not toxic, thus pointing out the use of the plant in the treatment of epilepsy.