ABSTRACT
Acorus calamus Linn. (Family: Araceae) is an aromatic semi-aquatic perennial marshy herb. Experimental studies have indicated the efficacy of this plant against various types of epileptic seizures, but the results vary with the models and the type of extract used. These conflicting reports and the unavailability of the data regarding the effects of aqueous extract of Acorus calamus (AEAC) prompted us to evaluate the efficacy of AEAC on electrical and chemical induced seizures in albino mice. Either normal saline or sodium valproate or AEAC was given sixty minutes prior to the experiment in acute study, whereas in chronic study, they were given twice daily for ten days and the last dose was given one hour prior to the exposure of the animal either to maximal electrical shock (MES) or pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) administration. On acute administration, AEAC dose dependently reduced the duration of tonic hind limb extension in MES induced seizure which was comparable to that produced by sodium valproate. Whereas, in PTZ induced seizures, the test drug decreased the latency and increased the duration of seizures as well as mortality. On repeated administration (chronic study) the test drug significantly reduced the duration of tonic hind limb extension and also the clonus phase of MES induced seizures. However, in PTZ induced seizures, results were similar to that obtained in acute study. Results indicates that AEAC has protective effect against MES, but not against PTZ induced seizures.