Abstract
Introduction Artemisia afra (Jacq. ex Willd.), commonly called African wormwood, is a highly aromatic perennial herb and a well-known medicinal plant, claimed to be effective and safe in the treatment of epilepsy. The whole-plant extract is traditionally used as an antiepileptic agent in Ethiopia. Aim of the Study. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of the hydroethanolic extract and solvent fractions of A. afra whole part in mice. Materials and Methods The effects of A. afra hydroethanolic extract and its solvent fractions were evaluated against pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ-) induced convulsions in mice. The onset and duration of PTZ-induced convulsions were determined with hydroethanolic A. afra extract and its solvent fractions. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc Tukey's multiple comparisons test. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The hydroethanolic extract of A. afra, with all the three doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg, showed a significant delay (504.833 ± 62.835∗ s; p < 0.05∗; 551.833 ± 47.69∗∗ s; p < 0.01∗∗; and 808.333 ± 64.8∗∗∗s; p < 0.001∗∗∗, respectively) in the mean onset of convulsion and a decrease (17.000 ± 1.88∗∗∗ s, p < 0.05∗; 13.000 ± 1.8∗∗ s, p < 0.01∗∗; and 7.833 ± 1.07∗∗∗ s, p < 0.001, respectively) in the mean duration of convulsion against PTZ-induced convulsion in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control (92.833 ± 13.006 s; 34.167 ± 3.683 s), and its anticonvulsant activity was significantly less compared to that of diazepam (1001.167 ± 68.430 s; 4.500 ± 0.619 s). The solvent fractions, however, did not show anticonvulsant activity against PTZ-induced convulsion. Conclusion Crude extract of A. afra has an anticonvulsant effect in mice. This might be attributed to the synergistic effects of two or more active ingredients present in the herb.
Highlights
Artemisia afra (Jacq. ex Willd.), commonly called African wormwood, is a highly aromatic perennial herb and a well-known medicinal plant, claimed to be effective and safe in the treatment of epilepsy. e whole-plant extract is traditionally used as an antiepileptic agent in Ethiopia
PTZ and diazepam were dissolved in saline solution (0.9% w/v). e crude extract and its fractions were dissolved in distilled water and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (2 : 1 v/v) mixture
Yields of Hydroethanolic Extract and Its Solvent Fraction of Artemisia afra. e yields of the crude extract and the solvent fractions of A. afra crude extract are shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively
Summary
Artemisia afra (Jacq. ex Willd.), commonly called African wormwood, is a highly aromatic perennial herb and a well-known medicinal plant, claimed to be effective and safe in the treatment of epilepsy. e whole-plant extract is traditionally used as an antiepileptic agent in Ethiopia. E aim of this study was, to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of the hydroethanolic extract and solvent fractions of A. afra whole part in mice. E effects of A. afra hydroethanolic extract and its solvent fractions were evaluated against pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ-) induced convulsions in mice. Epilepsy is a common neurological abnormality characterized by an unpredictable and periodic occurrence of a Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine transient alteration of behavior including convulsions resulting from disordered synchronous and rhythmic firing of brain neurons [2] It affects about 1% of the world population with an estimated frequency of 50 per 100,000 and 100 per 100,000 in technologically advanced and developing nations, respectively [3]. There is a need to look for more effective and safer alternative antiepileptic agents
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