Anticonvulsant and Sedative Properties of Leaves of Neoboutonia velutina (Euphorbiaceae) Prain in Mice

Abstract

Neoboutonia velutina Prain is a small tree of 6-12 m, found in tropical areas of Africa (Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Nigeria, Angola and Southern Sudan). This plant is used in Cameroonian traditional medicine for the treatment of central nervous system diseases like epilepsy and for the treatment of hepatitis. In our knowledge, there are no published studies on biological activity of N. velutina. In the present study, in vivo animal models of epilepsy (strychnine, pentylenetetrazol and Picrotoxin-induced convulsions) and insomnia (diazepam -induced sleep) were used to evaluate the anticonvulsant and sedative properties of N. velutina. The aqueous extract of the leaves of N. velutina protected mice against strychnine (p<0.05), pentylenetetrazol (p<0.01), and picrotoxin (p<0.001)-induced seizures. The extract strongly increased the total sleep time induced by diazepam (50 mg/kg i.p.) but did not significantly precipitate the onset of sleep. The results lead to the conclusion that the extract of N. velutina possesses anticonvulsant and sedative properties in mice and could explain its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of epilepsy and insomnia.