Free radical scavenging and antiepileptic activity of Leucas lanata

Abstract

Oxidative stress was found to be the underlying mechanism in many disorders especially in neurodegenerative disorders like epilepsy. The main aim of the investigation was to evaluate invitro free radical scavenging potential and invivo antiepileptic activity of selected fraction of Leucas lanata . Ethanolic extract of L. lanata was taken for its phytochemical screening, invitro free radical scavenging, cytotoxic studies, fractionation with ethyl acetate and its HPTLC studies. Further the fraction was evaluated for invivo acute toxicity studies and antiepileptic activity in mice. After the estimation of 64.412 ± 8.44 mgGAE/g of phenolic and 63.723 ± 8.01 mgRE/g of flavonoids contents, invitro free radical scavenging studies of ethanolic extract of the plant revealed its almost equal potential as quercetin. HPTLC studies of ethyl acetate fraction of extract revealed the presence of 3 unknown flavonoids with R f values of 0.03, 0.48 and 0.93. In animal studies there was a decrease in the duration of hind limb extension like 7.8 ± 0.1 s, 7.4 ± 0.2 s and 7.1 ± 0.2 s linearly with doses. In forced swim test animals were found to be active without any decreased locomotory activity indicated by more immobilized time in diazepam treatment (233.33 ± 5.03 s) and less immobilized time with the treatment of fraction (161.66 ± 5.686 s). From the studies of malondialdehyde estimation, there was a comparative decrease in the content which was not linear with dose. From the results of invitro and invivo studies it can be concluded that, flavonoid and phenolic rich ethyl acetate fraction of L. lanata can be used to treat epilepsy without any induction of depression.