Phytochemical and anticonvulsant screening of three medicinal plants used in the treatment of epilepsy in the south-western part of Nigeria

The burden of epilepsy in developing countries made medicinal plants like Xylopia aethiopica fruit; Khaya grandifoliola, Alstonia boonei etc an alternative source in epilepsy management in the south-western part of Nigeria. The aim of the study was to provide pharmacological rationale for the ethnomedicinal use of the plants in epilepsy management. The oral medial lethal dose of methanol stem bark extracts of Alstonia boonei (MEAB) and Khaya grandifoliola (MEKG) and methanol fruit extract of Xylopia aethiopica (MEXAF) were done in accordance with the Organization for Economic Cooperation Development guideline. Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical profiling of the extracts was done. Anticonvulsant screening was carried out on the extracts (doses: 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg) using the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure and maximum electroshock tests (MEST). Results showed that the MEXAF has the highest amount of phytochemicals except for saponins in MEKG; and MEAB with the least amount (but higher alkaloid) than MEKG. The TLC showed different bands of spots of the extracts. In the PTZ test, MEXAF showed 100 % protection against mortality at 300 mg/kg; MEAB with 66.67 % protection at 75 mg/kg and MEKG 0 % protection. MEAB, MEKG and MEXAF nonsignificantly increased the onset of seizure and latency to death. In the MEST, MEXAF, MEKG and MEAB at 75 mg/kg protected 50, 33.3 and 16.67% of the animals against tonic hind limb extension respectively and nonsignificantly (p˃0.05) decreased the recovery time at a dose of 75 mg/kg. It was concluded that the extracts possess anticonvulsant activities hence, the pharmacological credence for the ethnomedicinal use of these plants in treating epilepsy.

Etude phytochimique et des activites biologiques de Trichilia emetica Vahl (Meliaceae)

Ce travail a porte sur l'etude phytochimique; l'evaluation des activites antioxydante; antiinflammatoire; antalgique et la determination de la toxicite aigue des extraits de Trichilia emetica Vahl (Meliaceae). Trichilia emetica est une plante bien connue en Afrique de l'Ouest. Elle compte parmi les plantes les plus utilisee en medecine traditionnelle qui pourtant devient de plus en plus rare. Ses differentes preparations sont surtout utilisees contre les plaies; les douleurs abdominales; le paludisme; les hemorroides. Ces usages de la plante ont ete identifies au cours de notre enquete menee dans le cercle de Dioila. Les etudes phytochimiques des poudres de feuilles et d'ecorces de racine ont revele lapresence franche de tanins; d'heterosides terpeniques; de leucoanthocyanes et de steroides et l'absence d'alcaloide; d'anthracenoside et de carotenoide dans les deux organes. Les mucilages ont ete plus caracteristiques des feuilles contrairement aux coumarines qui se plus manifestes dans les ecorces de racine. L'activite antioxydante a ete observee dans tous les extraits. Les plus fortes activites anti-inflammatoire et antalgique ont ete obtenues avec les maceres dans l'eau et dans l'ethanol. Le test de toxicite a revele une plus forte tolerance des feuilles par rapport aux ecorces de racine chez les souris

Effects of Interacting Variables on the Tensile Strength and the Release Properties of Paracetamol Tablets

"PURPOSE: The individual and interaction effects of nature of binder (N); concentration of binder (C) and the relative density (D) on the tensile strength and release properties of paracetamol tablets have been studied using a 23 factorial experimental design. METHODOLOGY: Khaya gum; which represented the ""low"" level; and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP); which represented the ""high"" level; was used as binding agent at concentrations of 0.5 percent and 4 percentw/w in a paracetamol tablet formulation. The tensile strength; which is a measure of the bond strength of tablets; and the release properties of the tablets-measured by the disintegration and the dissolution times; were used as assessment parameters. RESULTS: Changing the concentration of binder and the relative density of the tablets from ""low"" to ""high"" led to an increase in the tensile strength and the disintegration and dissolution times of the tablets. The ranking of the individual coefficient values for the formulations was D less than N less than C for T and C > N less than D for the disintegration and dissolution parameters while the ranking for the interaction effects was N -D > N -C less than C - D for T and t[50]; N -C > N - D C -D for DT and C -D less than N -C > N -D for t[90]. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that khaya gum could be useful as an alternative binding agent to produce tablets with particular tensile strength and drug release profiles and there was considerable interaction between the variables employed on the tablet properties."