Anxiolytic and anticonvulsive activity of Sesbania grandiflora leaves in experimental animals

Abstract

Various parts of Sesbania grandiflora have been used in the Indian system of medicine, in particular, the leaves of S. grandiflora are used in Ayurveda for the treatment of epileptic fits. In the present study we have evaluated the anticonvulsive activity of S. grandiflora leaves using a variety of animal models of convulsions. Bioassay guided separation was also carried out to identify the fraction possessing anticonvulsant activity. The benzene:ethyl acetate fraction (BE) of the acetone soluble part of a petroleum ether extract significantly delayed the onset of convulsions in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and strychnine (STR)- induced seizures in mice and reduced the duration of tonic hindleg extension in the maximum electroconvulsive shock (MES) induced seizures in mice. The BE contained a triterpene as a major component. In addition, the BE also inhibited electrically induced kindled seizures in mice and lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in rats. It prolonged the duration of sleep induced by pentobarbital and antagonized the effect of D-amphetamine. Mice treated with BE preferred to remain in the open arm of the elevated plus maze indicating anxiolytic activity. The BE raised the brain contents of gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin. Thus the triterpene containing fraction of S. grandiflora exhibits a wide spectrum of anticonvulsant profile and anxiolytic activity.

Brain oxidative damage restored by Sesbania grandiflora in cigarette smoke-exposed rats

“…Treatment with SGAS to the cigarette smoke-exposed rats ameliorated the levels of TL, TC, TG, PL and TC/PL ratio. This might be due to flavonoids, pectin, triterpenoid, tannin, grandiflorol, saponin and other bioactive compounds which are present in S. grandiflora (The Wealth of India 1972; Ching and Mohamed 2001;Kasture et al 2002;Das et al 2005;Mustafa et al 2010).…”

“…S. grandiflora leaves possesses essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin and nicotinic acid) and other active compounds such as flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, luteolin and naringenin), pectin, triterpenoid, tannin, glycosides, and grandiflorol (α-5-methyl-5-pentacosanol) and also contains a saponin which is on hydrolysis gave an acid sapogenin oleanoic acid, galactose, rhamnose and glucuronic acid (The Wealth of India 1972; Ching and Mohamed 2001;Kasture et al 2002;Das et al 2005;Mustafa et al 2010). Different parts of this plant are used in Indian traditional medicine for the treatment of broad spectrum of illness including leprosy, gout, and rheumatism and hepatic disorders (Joshi 2000;Pari and Uma 2003).…”

“…Different parts of this plant are used in Indian traditional medicine for the treatment of broad spectrum of illness including leprosy, gout, and rheumatism and hepatic disorders (Joshi 2000;Pari and Uma 2003). S. grandiflora leaves used for the treatment of nervous system diseases such as anxiety and convulsion (Kasture et al 2002). Besides, it has antifertility, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antiurolithiatic, anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytoprotective activity (Shrivastav and Janin 1993;Tamboli 1996Tamboli , 2000Doddola et al 2008;Sreelatha et al 2011;Kumaravel et al 2011;Zarena et al 2014).…”

Botanicals and Herbs: A Traditional Approach to Treating Epilepsy

“…39 Recent scientific publications provide the scientific rationale for proceeding with controlled trials of some of these herbal therapies in patients with epilepsy. 40,41 The oldest Chinese document on epilepsy, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, Huang Di Nei Jing, dates in its earliest editions from 770 to 221 BC. 42 Herbal therapies used to treat convulsive diseases in Asia in modern times include Chai-Hu-Long-Ku-Mu-Li-Tan (TW-001), a mixture of extracts from 13 herbal therapies; Gastrodia elata (Tian Ma; gastrodia root); Uncaria rhynchophylla (cat's claw); Menispermum dauricum (moonseed); Shitei-To, a mixture of extracts from three medicinal herbs, Shitei (kaki calyx; the calyx of Diospyros kaki persimmon), Shokyo (gingerroot; rhizome of Zingiber officinale), and Choji (clove; pharmaceutical name, caryophylli flos; the flowerbud of Syzygium aromaticum); mixture of radish (Raphanus sativus) and pepper (Piper species, containing the alkaloid piperine); Qingyangshen (root of Cynanchum otophyllum); Kanbaku-taiso-to, a mixture of three herbal drugs, glycyrrhizae radix (licorice root; Glycyrrhiza species), tritici semen (wheat seed; Triticum aestivum), and zizyphi fructus (spiny jujube fruit; Ziziphus spinosa); paeoniae radix (peony root; Paeonia lactiflora, synonym P. albiflora); and Zheng Tai instant powder (a complex prescription of traditional Chinese medicines used for tonic-clonic seizures).…”

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“…Sesbania grandiflora possess hepatoprotective 8 , anticancer activity 9 . For congenital bronchitis or cold in babies, leaf juice mixed with honey is often recommended 10 (Nadkarni, 1982).…”