Aim: This research work aimed to establish scientific basis for the use of Boswellia dalzielli stem bark, in traditional medicine as anti-epileptic medication. Methodology: The fresh stem bark of Boswellia dalzielii was extracted using absolute ethanol and screened for phytochemicals. Acute toxicity study was carried out using Lorke’s method and the antiepileptic activity was evaluated using maximal electroshock induced seizure test in day-old broiler chicks and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) using Wistar strain mice. Results: Phytochemical screening of ethanol extract of B. dalzielii stem bark revealed that the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids and steroids/terpenoides. The intrapertoneal median lethal dose value (LD50) of BDE in mice was 2592.3 mg/kg, indicating the stem bark extract is relatively safe. The extract at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight protected 40% of animals against PTZ-induced convulsion and also protected 20% of chicks against Tonic Hindlimb Extension (THLE) phase of the Maximal Electroshock Test (MEST) significantly (p<0.05). Conclusion: The antiepileptic investigation suggests that ethanol extract of B. dalzielii stem bark has antiepileptic activity.

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Background: Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach) Milne-Redhead [Fabaceae] is a plant widely used locally for the treatment and management of several ailments which include epilepsy in Northeastern Nigeria.Objectives: This study aimed at evaluation of the toxicity and anticonvulsant effect of ethanol leaf extract of Piliostigma thonningii in rats and mice with a view to determining the efficacy of the plant as an anticonvulsant drug.Methods: Fresh leaves of Piliostigma thonningii were air-dried, pulverized and extracted using soxhlet extraction apparatus. Acute toxicity study was carried out by Lorke’s method and the anticonvulsant activity of the ethanol leaf extract was carried using pentylenetetrazole and strychnine-induced convulsion model on Wistar strain albino rats and mice respectively.Result: The soxhlet extraction yielded 21.04% w/w of extract after being concentrated. The oral and intraperitoneal LD50 were ≥ 5000 mg/kg implying that the extract is relatively safe according to literatures. Anticonvulsant effect of the ethanol leaf extract using pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), revealed the ability of the extract to confer protection on rats treated with doses of 200, 400 and 600 mg/Kg bd. wt. by exerting 60%, 80% and 80% protection on rat against PTZ induced convulsion respectively in a dose dependent manner as well as protected 20%, 60% and 80% of mice against death induced by strychnine when treated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of ethanol extract.Conclusion: The ethanol leaf extract of Piliostigma thonningii was able to provide anticonvulsant effect and is relatively safe for consumption as medicine.

Medicinal plants have been the major source of bioactive phytochemicals employed for the treatment and management of disease since time immemorial. The present study was aimed at investigating the antidiabetic potentials of various partitioned portions of crude methanol extract of Boswellia dalzielii in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Fresh leaf of Boswellia dalzielii was air-dried, pulverized and extracted using cold maceration method with 85% methanol and concentrated to dryness. The crude methanol extract was partitioned using n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate and n-butanol to afford portions encoded BMENH, BMECM, BMEEA, BMENB respectively, and were screened for phytochemicals. The portions were evaluated for their anti-diabetic effects on alloxan-induced rats. The phytochemical studies of the crude methanol leaf, stem and root bark extracts revealed the presence alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and terpenoids. The partitioned crude methanol leaf extract yielded 14.12 % ( w/w) n-hexane, 6.85 % (w/w) chloroform, 4.18% (w/w) ethyl acetate and 36.40 % (w/w) n-butanol extracts respectively. Antidiabetic activity of fractions BMEH, BMEC, BMEE at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg bd wt. produced significant (p<0.05) % inhibitions of glycaemia of 13.51, 18.91, 53.36 and 71.21 respectively, as the highest inhibitions at 400 mg/kg bwt. compared to 52.67 % of Glibenclamide 2.0 mg. (a standard drug). Thus, the leaf of Boswellia dalzielii possesses potent antidiabetic activity which increases as the extract is purified. The anti-diabetic effect of the plant in rats may likely be due to the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and terpenoids.