Anticonvulsant effect of the aqueous extract of Xeromphis nilotica in mice

Xeromphis nilotica is used traditionally to treat epilepsy. The freeze dried aqueous extract of the plants' rootbark was tested for anticonvulsant activity against pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) induced seizures and pentobarbital induced sleep in mice. Results showed that the extract significantly (p 0.05) reduced the onset and severity of the PTZ-induced seizure and prolonged the duration of sleep induced by pentobarbital dose dependently. The results show that the extract has depressant effect; supporting the claimed ethno- medical usage in controlling seizure