CULCASIA FALCIFOLIA ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT EFFICACY AND SAFETY IN THE TREATMENT OF EPILEPSY INDUCED BY PENTYLENETETRAZOLE IN LABORATORY MICE

Abstract

Culcasia falcifolia is a therapeutic plant conventionally used in the form of ash in Nandi County, Kenya in the treatment of epilepsy. The study intended to evaluate the antiepileptic activity of ethanol extract of C. falcilofia against pentylenetetrazole induced seizure in laboratory mice. The target of the study were: to valuate the anticonvulsant action of extract by valuating the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and levels of neurotransmitters in brain tissue of mice; then the depressant action of the central nervous system. The procedure of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 423 was used to lead the toxicity study. The antiepileptic activity was assessed using four groups of six mice treated at the dose levels 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight against pentylentetrazole induced seizure.. The antiepileptic activity was assessed using four groups of six mice treated at the dose levels 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight against pentylentetrazole induced seizure. By the end of the antiepileptic study, the animals were decapitated and the brains were seperated, homogenized and centrifuged to estimate the amount of endogenous antioxidant enzyme such as superoxide-dismutase, catalase, glutathione-reductase, glutathione-peroxidase and lipid-peroxidation, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and gamma aminobutyric acid. Rota-rod and act-photometer were used to measure central nervous system depressant effect of the extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg. The data were inferred by one-way analysis of variance followed by poshoc Dunnett test by means of Graph Pad version 3. The results of the present study uncovered that the extract was not toxic up to 2000 mg/kg body. Antiepileptic study exhibited that the extract significantly (F1,5=65.56, p<0.001) increased the latency and decreased the duration of convulsion and provided 100% defense (400mg/kg body weight) against mortality. The extract significantly increased the levels of (F1,5=20.1,p<0.01) superoxide dismutase, (F1,5=34.9,p<0.01) catalase, (F1,5=39.2,p<0.01) glutathione reductase, (F1,5=35.3,p<0.01) glutathione peroxidase and significantly (F1,5=7.7, p<0.001) decreased lipid peroxidation; gamma amino-butyric acid (F1.5= 342.4,p=0.000), dopamine (F1.5= 1793.14, p=0.001), serotonin (F1.5=282.2,p=0.000) and noradrenaline (F1.5= 1158.1,p=0.000). The extract offered depressant action. The existence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenolic, sterols and cardiac glycosides was shown. Flavonoids such as myrrcetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, spigenin, rutin, quercetin and chlorogenic acid eluted using ethyl acetate. The findings showed that extract possesses anticonvulsant activity by increasing latency and decreasing duration of convulsions; restored the levels of gamma aminobutyric acid, dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline, provided protection against oxidative stress by increasing levels of antioxidant enzymes and decreased lipid peroxidation. The ethanol extract of Culcasia falcifolia is safe and efficacious in the treatment of epilepsy.