Anticonvulsant Effect Of Ethanolic Leaf Extract Of Ehretia Cymosa Thonn (Boraginaceae) In Murine Models.

Abstract

Purpose: Ehretia cymosa is used locally in Ghana to treat epilepsy. To validate this anecdotal information with scientific data, the anticonvulsant effect of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Ehretia cymosa was studied in murine models. Materials and Methods: The potential anticonvulsant activity of an ethanol extract of Ehretia cymosa (ECE) (30, 100, and 300 mg kg-1) was tested employing the acute pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-, PTZ-induced kindling, picrotoxin-induced seizures and maximal electroshock (MES) in mice. The extract‘s effect on motor co-ordination and nociception was also tested using the rota-rod and the hot plate tests respectively. Acute and sub-chronic toxicity tests were also done to ascertain how safe the extract is in rodents. Results: This study showed that, the ethanolic extract of ECE possesses anticonvulsant effects in the various seizure threshold models used, except in the maximal electroshock seizure model. The latencies to the first myoclonic jerks were increased by ECE while both the duration and frequencies of seizures reduced significantly. There was however no effect on motor coordination even when highest dose of 300 mg kg-1 was used. No mortalities were recorded in the animals used during the period of this study. The ECE also did not have any significant effect on any of the serum biochemical parameters after the study. Conclusions: The ethanolic extract of the leaves of the Ehretia cymosa was found to possess anticonvulsant properties, and possibly acts through the GABAergic transmission pathway but has no muscle relaxant properties. The findings from this study, therefore, give scientific credence to the traditional use of Ehretia cymosa to manage epilepsy. The 10-week oral administration of the extract of Ehretia cymosa under the prevailing laboratory conditions was found to be relatively safe in male Sprague–Dawley rats.