Background: Bryophyllum pinnatum is an environmental weed from the Crassulaceae family that is often used to treat convulsion, hypertension, diarrhea, insect bites, asthma and other ailments.Objectives: To evaluate the anticonvulsant potential of methanol aerial extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum plant in mice and chicks.Materials and Methods: The anticonvulsant potential was studied using Maximal electroshock Test (MEST) and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) test in one day old chicks and mice at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extract i.p respectively. Positive control drugs used were sodium valproate (200 mg/kg) and phenytoin (20 mg/kg) in PTZ and MEST respectively while distilled water (10 ml/kg) i.p was used as negative control in all experiments.Results: The intraperitoneal LD50 of the extract was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight with an indication that the extract is relatively safe. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) prolongation of the mean onset of seizures was recorded with the extract at 1000 mg/kg body weight compared with normal saline treated group in PTZ induced seizures. Bryopyllum pinnatum methanol aerial extract also significantly reduced the mean recovery time of seizures at doses 500 and 1000 mg/kg induced by MEST when compared with normal saline treated group. Conversely, a significant (p ≤ 0.05) delay in the mean onset of seizures was recorded with standard drugs, sodium valproate (200 mg/kg) and phenytoin (20 mg/kg) in PTZ and MEST respectively.Conclusion: Methanol extract of the aerial part of Bryophyllum pinnatum possesses anticonvulsant activities.

Background: Tephrosia bracteolata is a widespread shrub belonging to the family (Fabaceae) and genus Tephrosia. It is traditionally used for treating rheumatic pains, dropsy and stomach ache.Objectives: In view of the ethnomedicinal claim and the continuous search for new medicinal agents, the phytochemical constituents, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of chloroform fraction (CF) of the methanol extract of Tephrosia bracteolata in mice and rats was evaluated.Methods: Preliminary phytochemical screening was conducted using standard method. Analgesic activity of CF (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight orally) was investigated using acetic acid-induced writhing test and thermally induced pain model in mice. Additionally, anti-inflammatory activity was tested by carragenaan-induced paw edema in rats.Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, triterpenes and flavonoids. The oral LD50 of CF was above 2000 mg/kg body weight. CF significantly (p<0.05) and dose dependently reduced the number of writhes with percentage inhibition of 47.76 48.41 and 72.6 % at dose of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg respectively. CF also significantly (p<0.05) and dose dependently increased the mean reaction time. At dose of 400 mg/kg, CF at 60 and 90 minutes exhibited greater activity when compared to the standard agent pentazocine. CF(200 and 400 mg/kg) at times 3, 4 and 5 hours significantly (p<0.05) decreased the paw edema in rats when compare with the ibuprofen treated group.Conclusions: The chloroform fraction of the methanol crude extract of Tephrosia bracteolata possesses analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.