Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) depressant and anticonvulsant activities of the aqueous root extract of Sanseviera liberica (ASL) were investigated on various animal models including pentobarbitone sleeping time and hole-board exploratory behaviour for sedation tests, and strychnine, picrotoxin, bicuculline and pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions in mice. ASL (100–400 mg/kg, p.o.), like chlorpromazine HCl (1 mg/kg, i.m.), produced a dose-dependent prolongation of pentobarbitone sleeping time and suppression of exploratory behaviour. ASL (100 and 200 mg/kg) produced dose-dependent and significant ( P < 0.05) increases in onset to clonic and tonic convulsions, and at 400 mg/kg, showed complete protection against seizures induced by strychnine, picrotoxin and bicuculline, but not with pentylenetetrazole. ASL up to 10 g/kg, p.o. did not produce death, but i.p. treatment produced mortalities with LD 50 of 668.3 ± 47.6 mg/kg. Preliminary phytochemical investigations of ASL revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, saponins, reducing sugars and oils. The results indicate that ASL has sedative and anticonvulsant activities, therefore, justifying its use in traditional African medicine.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.