Abstract
Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) is a medicinal plant used traditionally in Nigeria to treat several diseases including malaria, hypertension and febrile convulsions among others. Some of these indications are related to central activity but have not been systematically evaluated. This study investigated the neuropharmacological effects and the acute toxicity profile of the ethanolic dried seed extract of P. americana in mice. Fresh dried grounded seed of P. americana was extracted with 70% ethanol. Acute toxicity (LD50) profile of the ethanolic extract of P. americana (EEPA) at 10 to 5000 mg/kg was determined orally (p.o.) and intraperitoneally (i.p.) in mice. The EEPA was further tested for behavioral, anxiolytic, hypothermic, sedative, anticonvulsant, and anti-nociceptive activities. The LD50 of EEPA was determined to be ≥5000 mg/kg, p.o., and 2250 mg/kg, i.p. The extract at 250 to 1000 mg/kg dose-dependently caused significant (p<0.01 to 0.001) reduction in rearing and locomotor activity, signifying central nervous system (CNS) depression; significantly (p<0.01) lowered normal rectal temperature showing hypothermic effect; shortened onset and increased total sleeping time of ketamine (100 mg/kg, i.p.), suggesting sedative activity; reduced mortality due to pentylenetetrazole, picrotoxin and strychnine, and blocked hind limb tonic extension on the electro-shock, conveying evidence of anticonvulsant activity; increased reaction time on the hot plate and inhibited acetic acid-induced writhings, indicating analgesic potential. This study reveals significant depressant effect of ethanolic extract of P. americana on the CNS; and manifested hypothermic, sedative, anticonvulsant and anti-nociceptive effects in mice, thus justifying its ethnomedicinal use which can also serve as a lead in drug discovery. Key words: Avocado, behavioral, hypnosis, anticonvulsant, nociception.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONThe use of plants in form of concoction, infusion, decoction, etc., was the order of the day until the development of scientific means of extraction and purification which have paved the way for the identification of the precise compound(s) that is/are responsible for the observed pharmacological responses (Newman and Craig, 2012)
This study reveals significant depressant effect of ethanolic extract of P. americana on the central nervous system (CNS); and manifested hypothermic, sedative, anticonvulsant and anti-nociceptive effects in mice, justifying its ethnomedicinal use which can serve as a lead in drug discovery
We investigated the effect of the ethanolic extract of the dried seed of P. americana (EEPA) on novelty induced behaviour (NIB), anxiety, rectal temperature, sedation, convulsion and nociception in mice
Summary
The use of plants in form of concoction, infusion, decoction, etc., was the order of the day until the development of scientific means of extraction and purification which have paved the way for the identification of the precise compound(s) that is/are responsible for the observed pharmacological responses (Newman and Craig, 2012). Triacylglycerol, monoenoic acids and oleic acid (regarded as an especially important functional component of avocado) were reported to account for approximately 50% of the monounsaturated fatty acids obtained from a Japanese species (Takenaga et al, 2008). Various bioactivities of this plant seed have been reported, considering the rate and manner of its use in folkloric medicine, there is a need to explore other effects and presently there is no comprehensive study relating these ethnomedicinal claims to central effects. In this study we set out to assess some central nervous system activities and determine the acute toxicity profile of the ethanolic dried seed of this Nigerian species
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