Epilepsy is one of the most important neurological disorders nowadays, with a variety of studies describing its mechanisms and complex pathophysiology. However, lately there is also an increased interest in understanding the psychiatric comorbities associated with the epileptic pathology. Thus, we will describe here aspects such as the importance of anxiety, depression, personality disorders, the suicidal ideation in epilepsy, as well as the correlations that might exist between the specific treatment for epilepsy and its psychiatric-related effects. In conclusion, it seems that the associated psychiatric manifestations from epilepsy have an increased important in the pathophysiology of this disorder and deserve further investigation.

Many plants are largely used in alternative medicine of Burkina Faso for neuropsychiatric disorders treatment. However, their neuro-pharmacological properties are less evaluated through scientific studies. The present study aims to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Calotropis procera leaves and root-bark aqueous extract, focusing on a scopolamine-induced model of epilepsy in rodents. In this study, we evaluated this plant extracts possible protective effects on the central nervous system, through the behavioral tests and the enzymes activity assays. Thus, elevated plus-maze test and Y-maze task were used to evaluate animals behavioral and UV/visible spectrophotometer methods were used to evaluate the enzyme’s activities in brain’s supernatant. Our results are showing no significant protective effects of leaves extract, but it revealed a significant neuroprotective effect of root-bark aqueous extract, as well as in the behavioral tests and the brain’s oxidative enzymes specific activity evaluation. Indeed, anti-amnesic and anxiolytic activities were observed through Y maze task and elevated plus maze tests for the groups of animals receiving root-bark extract (100 mg/kg b.w.). In these test, inhibition of disturbances of Time spent in Open Arms, Spontaneous Alternation, and Transfer Latency induced after scopolamine administration were recorded with animals received root-bark extract. Likewise, the superoxide dismutase and catalase activity disturbance induced by scopolamine were also inhibited in root-bark extract pre-administered group. Thus, our study provides biochemical and neuro-pharmacological data for traditional use of C. procera for neuropsychiatric disorders treatment, including scopolamine-induced epilepsy symptoms (mainly referring to the psychiatric comorbidities of this disorder).