Introduction. Artemisia afra (Jacq. ex Willd.), commonly called African wormwood, is a highly aromatic perennial herb and a well-known medicinal plant, claimed to be effective and safe in the treatment of epilepsy. The whole-plant extract is traditionally used as an antiepileptic agent in Ethiopia. Aim of the Study. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of the hydroethanolic extract and solvent fractions of A. afra whole part in mice. Materials and Methods. The effects of A. afra hydroethanolic extract and its solvent fractions were evaluated against pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ-) induced convulsions in mice. The onset and duration of PTZ-induced convulsions were determined with hydroethanolic A. afra extract and its solvent fractions. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. The hydroethanolic extract of A. afra, with all the three doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg, showed a significant delay (504.833 ± 62.835 ∗  s; p < 0.05 ∗ ; 551.833 ± 47.69 ∗ ∗  s; p < 0.01 ∗ ∗ ; and 808.333 ± 64.8 ∗ ∗ ∗ s; p < 0.001 ∗ ∗ ∗ , respectively) in the mean onset of convulsion and a decrease (17.000 ± 1.88 ∗ ∗ ∗  s, p < 0.05 ∗ ; 13.000 ± 1.8 ∗ ∗  s, p < 0.01 ∗ ∗ ; and 7.833 ± 1.07 ∗ ∗ ∗  s, p < 0.001 , respectively) in the mean duration of convulsion against PTZ-induced convulsion in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control (92.833 ± 13.006 s; 34.167 ± 3.683 s), and its anticonvulsant activity was significantly less compared to that of diazepam (1001.167 ± 68.430 s; 4.500 ± 0.619 s). The solvent fractions, however, did not show anticonvulsant activity against PTZ-induced convulsion. Conclusion. Crude extract of A. afra has an anticonvulsant effect in mice. This might be attributed to the synergistic effects of two or more active ingredients present in the herb.

Introduction: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects people of all ages. Herbal medicines are widely used across the globe due to their wide applicability and therapeutic efficacy. The low side effects of traditional herbal medicines have encouraged many types of research into antiepileptic activity. Clerodendrum myricoides is a plant whose leaves extract is traditionally used as an anticonvulsant in Ethiopia.  Objective: The point of this investigation was to assess the anticonvulsant effect of the hydro-alcoholic extract and solvent fractions of C. myricoides leaves against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice.   Methods: Comparison of mean latency to onset of convulsion, mean duration of convulsions, and the proportion of percentage protection against seizure of the plant extract was tested against PTZ-induced seizures. Three different doses were used by giving them orally 30 minutes before subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (80 mg/kg) administration with the positive (diazepam 2 mg/kg) and negative (physiological saline 10 mg/kg) control groups. Data were presented as the mean ± standard error of the mean and analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and followed by post-hoc Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. Fisher’s exact test was used for the percentage protection. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The crude extract of C. myricoides, with the doses of 300, 600, 1,200 mg/kgshowed a significant delay in mean latency to onset of seizures [299.33±30.129 sec (p< 0.05); 387.167± 27.6 sec (p<0.01); 417.833±31.9 sec (p<0.001); respectively)]; decrease in the duration of convulsion [27.333±1.585 sec (p<0.05); 16.833±1.537 sec (p<0.01); 10.50±0.671 sec (p<0.001) respectively]; and a proportion of percentage protection of mice against seizure [16.33% (1/6) (p< 0.05); 33.33% (2/6) (p<0.01); 50% (3/6) (p<0.001) respectively] in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control group [92.833±13.006 sec; 34.167±3.683 sec, 0%  respectively]. C. myricoides anticonvulsant activity was less than that of diazepam [1001.16± 68.430 sec, 4.500±0.619, 83.33 sec, 83.33% respectively for the doses]. Its solvent fractions, however, didn’tshow a significant anticonvulsant effect. Conclusion: The hydroalcoholic leaves crude extract of C. myricoides has anticonvulsant activity but its solvent fractions do not have comparable significant effects.