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Evaluation of anticonvulsant activity of Bellyache Bush using experimental animals

. Kadiri Sunil Kumar, Ghattamaneni Vaishnavi, Akula Amulya, Boda Vijay Kumar, Nemuri Sai Rekha Goud and Arunabha Mallik


Abstract

The present study evaluated the antiepileptic activity of Jatropha gossypiifolia Linn (Bellyache Bush) leaves using experimentally induced seizure models. Mice were subjected to maximum electroshock MES, N-methyl-D-aspartate NMDA 75 mg/kg, s.c, Pentylenetetrazole PTZ 70 mg/kg, i.p for anticonvulsant activity evaluation. Ethanolic extract of Jatropha gossypiifolia leaves were used at doses 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg.. Duration of flexion, extension, convulsion and stupor were measured. The mortality was evaluated by measuring % of protection. Both the doses of Jatropha gossypiifolia leaves and standard Phenytoin sodium protected 33.33%, 66.66% and 83.33% respectively and significantly P<0.001 reduced the number of animals convulsing and significantly delayed the all phases of seizures in MES-induced seizures. Similar protection was observed in PTZ-induced seizures and NMDA induced seizures in mice. Therefore the present study offered a scientific proof to the traditional use of Jatropha gossypiifolia Linn in epilepsy. The anti-epileptic activity of leaf extract may be due to enhancement of GABAergic neurotransmission and/or inhibition of calcium current. The significant anti-epileptic activity may be attributed to complex active constituents of the leaf extract.

 

KEYWORDS: Antiepileptic activity, N-methyl-D-aspartate, Pentylenetetrazole, Phenytoin sodium, Jatropha gossypiifolia.

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