ABSTRACT
Background: Animal models had always served as integral part in introducing newer drugs for epilepsy. India has long tradition of using herbal medicines. Centella asiatica is an ingredient of various ayurvedic preparations to treat brain related disorders like insanity, memory loss and epilepsy. This research is done to find out the usefulness of Centella asiatica in epilepsy. Methods: Ethanolic extract of the plant is prepared using Soxhlet apparatus. Experimental seizure is induced in albino mice by maximal electroshock method. Resulting seizure goes through different phases. Duration of the phase of hind limb extension was the measured data. Clinically used anti epileptic drugs can abolish hind limb extension. Effect is compared to that of standard drug phenytoin. Four different doses of the plant extract; 100mg, 200mg, 500mg and 1000mg per kilogram bodyweight was given orally. Statistical analysis of data was done by one way ANOVA and Dunnett test.Results: Ethanolic extract of Centella asiatica exhibited statistically significant protection from maximal electroshock seizures. All given doses of the extract had p<0.05 when compared to control.Conclusions: Centella asiatica is potential source of anti-epileptic drug. Detailed phytochemical studies and animal experiments are recommended.
ABSTRACT
Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of nicardipine in wistar albino rats.Methods: Anticonvulsant activity of nicardipine in a dose 10 mg/kg, and its effect with the standard drug lamotrigine (5 mg/kg) was studied in a maximal electroshock seizures (MES) experimental animal model.Results: Nicardipine in dose of 10 mg/kg showed significant anticonvulsant effect (p<0.001) and combination with standard drug lamotrigine (p<0.001) also showed more significant anticonvulsant effect in MES model.Conclusions: Nicardipine is having anticonvulsant activity and it also potentiates the anticonvulsant effect of lamotrigine in MES model.
ABSTRACT
Background: Presently available antiepileptic drugs are effective in controlling seizures in more than half of patients of all epilepsy but use is often limited by adverse effects. H1 receptor antagonists, have a controversial status in patients of epilepsy. Both pro and antiepileptic effect has been documented in various animal studies. Hence, this study was designed to see the effect of promethazine, an H1 antihistaminic drug and its interactions with antiepileptic drugs lorazepam and sodium valproate in rats.Methods: The effect of promethazine (10 mg/kg) and its interactions with antiepileptic drugs lorazepam and sodium valproate was assessed by using maximal electroshock seizures (MES) and chemoshock pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) method.Results: Promethazine along with lorazepam and sodium valproate in subtherapeutic doses exerted significant protection against MES induced seizures whereas no such protection was observed with PTZ method rather the seizure threshold was reduced.Conclusions: Subtherapeutic doses of promethazine alone and in combination with lorazepam and sodium valproate showed protection against seizures in MES method. However, proconvulsant effect was seen with PTZ method. This shows dual behavior of promethazine on MES and PTZ induced seizures.