Anticonvulsive effects of the hydroethanolic extract of the leaf of <i>Kigelia africana</i>

Abstract

Kigelia africana is traditionally used in Togo to control epileptic seizures. We undertook this study in order to evaluate its anticonvulsive properties. We pretreated Wistar albino rats of both sexes with the hydroethanolic extract (v: v) of the leaf of K. africana at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of body weight. This pretreatment was done one hour prior to the administration of the convulsive drugs. We induced convulsions by administration (i.p) of strychnine, picrotoxin (PTX) or pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) respectively at 3 mg/kg, 6 mg/kg and 75 mg/kg. In the pentylenetetrazol's model, the above protocol was conducted both in male and in female groups of rats. We registered the latency and duration of generalized tonic-clonic convulsions in all models. The Incidence rates of the generalized convulsions in all models were decreased. Furthermore, the extract increased the survival rates of the rats in all model used in this study. The extract either at 250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg significantly increased the latency of the onset of generalized tonic-clonic convulsions. Duration of the convulsions was significantly decreased in all models except for the picrotoxin-induced seizure's one. In the PTZ model, the extract was more active in female rat. The extract decreased the incidence rate, prolonged the mean latency and shortened the mean duration of the generalized convulsions induced with PTX, strychnine and PTZ. The leaf of K. africana possesses anticonvulsive properties. This partially explains its traditional use in epileptic conditions.