EVALUATION OF ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF FICUS SYCOMORUS LINN IN PENTYLENETETRAZOLE AND STRYCHNINE INDUCED SEIZURES IN MICE

Abstract

Epilepsy is a chronic and often progressive disorder characterized by the occurrence of epileptic
seizures, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. The prescribed synthetic drugs for the
treatment of epilepsy are associated with severe side effects and addiction liabilities upon long
term uses. Thus, researchers around the globe are searching for newer, effective and safer drugs
from natural resources. Ficus sycomorus Linn. (Moraceae) is used traditionally in Northern
Nigeria for the management of epilepsy without any scientific validation. The aim of this study is
to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and the anticonvulsant activity of the ethanol leaf
extract of F. sycomorus L. in mice. The basic phytochemical screening was carried out based on
some standard procedures, while Lorke’s method was used to determine the lethal dose that kills
50% of laboratory animals. Pentylenetetrazole and strychnine were used to induce seizures in mice
for the anticonvulsant screening.The plant extract revealed the presence of tannins, saponins,
carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. The
intraperitoneal LD50 in mice was estimated to be >2900 mg/kg body weight. The plant extract at
the highest tested dose protected the animals from death against the chemically induced seizures
by pentylenetetrazole and strychnine while the time for onset of convulsion was dose dependent.
An extremely significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean onset of convulsion was observed at
highest dose of the extract against PTZ and strychnine when compared to the control and the mice
were protected from death by the extract. However, the extract showed better activity against
strychnine induced seizures. The data suggest that the ethanol leaf extract of F. sycomorus, at the
tested doses and under the experimental conditions reported, contains many phytochemical
constituents that may be responsible for the anticonvulsant activity. Thus, justifying the
ethnomedical use of this plant extract in the management of epilepsy as claimed by the traditional
medicine practitioners.