Comparative anticonvulsant activity of leaf, stem bark and root bark extracts of bombax costatum pellegr. And vuillet in acute models of epilepsy

Abstract

Bombax costatum is a tropical medicinal plant utilized conventionally for the treatment of epilepsy. The parts used are leaves, stem and roots. Nevertheless, there is paucity of scientific proof to support its use in epilepsy. This study evaluated the anticonvulsant properties of hydroalcoholic extracts of the three plant parts using animal models. Phytochemical testing and median lethal dose (LD50) determination of the extracts were done. Graded doses of the leaves, stem bark and root bark extracts (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) were administered orally in the anticonvulsant studies. Seizures were induced in chicks by administration of maximal electroshock; and in mice by the administration of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), picrotoxin and strychnine. Oral LD50 of the three extracts was >5000 mg/kg in chicks and mice. The extracts did not yield considerable activity against the electroshock-induced seizures at all tested doses. In the PTZ test, all the extracts increased the onset of seizures. The increase was considerable (p<0.05) with the stem bark (125 and 250 mg/kg) and root (500 mg/kg) extracts. A similar increase in the onset of seizures was observed in the picrotoxin test. Also, the root extract (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) produced a dose-dependent protection (33.33, 50 and 66.67%, respectively) against the picrotoxin-induced seizures. In the strychnine test, just the root extract significantly (p<0.05) raised the seizure threshold at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that the leaf, stem bark and root bark extracts of B. costatum possess anticonvulsant activity in animal models of epilepsy.