Pharmacological justification for the ethnomedical use of Clausena anisata root-bark extract in the management of epilepsy.

ABSTRACT

Various morphological parts of the tropical plant, Clausena anisata (Wild) Hook [family Rutaceae], have ethnomedical claim for use in the management of epilepsy. This study examined the antiepileptic activity of Clausena anisata root bark, stem bark and leaf ethanolic extracts (i.e. CARE, CASE and CALE respectively) against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced seizures in mice. Phytochemical and acute toxicity tests were performed on the extracts followed by oral administration of graded doses of CASE (500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg), CARE and CALE (400, 600 and 800 mg/kg) to the mice, thirty minutes before the administration of PTZ (90 mg/kg i.p.). The anticonvulsant effect of the extracts and diazepam (4 mg/kg) were compared. CALE was found to possess large amount of saponins, CARE large amounts of tannins and saponins, CASE large amounts of flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins. While CARE at the dose level of 800 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) delayed the onset of convulsions and afforded 33.33 % protection, neither CALE nor CASE could exert any significant protective effect on PTZ induced convulsions, whereas diazepam totally abolished the episodes of convulsions. This study suggests that the ethanolic root bark extract of Clausena anisata contains bioactive constituents that may be beneficial in petit mal epilepsy and lend pharmacological credence to the ethnomedical claim for the use of the plant in the management of epilepsy. Abbreviations NMDA= N-methyl-D-aspartate, SCMC= sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, CARE= Clausena anisata root bark ethanolic extract, CASE= Clausena anisata stem bark ethanolic extract, CALE= Clausena anisata leaf ethanolic extract, PTZ= pentylenetetrazole.