Anticonvulsant effect of Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) (Avocado) leaf aqueous extract in mice

Abstract

Various morphological parts of Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) (avocado) are widely used in African traditional medicines for the treatment, management and/or control of a variety of human ailments, including childhood convulsions and epilepsy. This study examined the anticonvulsant effect of the plant's leaf aqueous extract (PAE, 50-800 mg/kg i.p.) against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-, picrotoxin (PCT)- and bicuculline (BCL)-induced seizures in mice. Phenobarbitone and diazepam were used as reference anticonvulsant drugs for comparison. Like the reference anticonvulsant agents used, Persea americana leaf aqueous extract (PAE, 100-800 mg/kg i.p.) significantly (p < 0.05-0.001) delayed the onset of, and antagonized, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures. The plant's leaf extract (PAE, 100-800 mg/kg i.p.) also profoundly antagonized picrotoxin (PCT)-induced seizures, but only weakly antagonized bicuculline (BCL)-induced seizures. Although the data obtained in the present study do not provide conclusive evidence, it would appear that 'avocado' leaf aqueous extract (PAE) produces its anticonvulsant effect by enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission and/or action in the brain. The findings of this study indicate that Persea americana leaf aqueous extract possesses an anticonvulsant property, and thus lends pharmacological credence to the suggested ethnomedical uses of the plant in the management of childhood convulsions and epilepsy.

Anticonvulsant Properties of Some Medicinal Plants- A Review

“…It appeared that "avocado" leaf aqueous extract produces its anticonvulsant effect by enhancing gamma-aminobutyric acid ergic (GABAergic) neurotransmission in the brain. The extract significantly delayed the onset of PTZ, and also profoundly antagonized PCT induced seizures but only weakly antagonized BCL induced seizures [19].…”

Ethnopharmacological survey, antioxidant and antifungal activity of medicinal plants traditionally used in Baham locality (Cameroon) to treat fungal infections

“…Consequently, extracts were tested for their antioxidant potential using the DPPH, the ABTS and the FRAP methods. The IC 50 values occurred in the range of 4.54 μg/mL to 719.44 μg/mL in the DPPH assay. Ten extracts out of twentyfour showed marked free radical scavenging capacity in DPPH assay with IC 50 values lower than 10 μg/mL, which is close to that of the positive control trolox and ascorbic acid.…”

“…The antioxidant capacity expressed as IC 50 value and the total phenolic and the total flavonoid content of all extracts are shown in Table 4. The use of at least two different assays in evaluating antioxidant activity of plant extracts has been recommended by Moon and Shibamoto 18 .…”

Antihypertensive efficacy of Lippia nodiflora – whole plant on uninephrectomized doca – salt hypertensive rats

“…In sub-Saharan Africa, the initial ethno pharmacological surveys have identified over 100 species of plants with antihypertensive activity in animals and humans [16,17] . Among these plants Lippia nodiflora (Verbenaceae) is also one, which is commonly called as Bhujokra in Hindi, Ratoliya in Gujarati and Jalpippali in Sanskrit.…”