Evaluation of Anticonvulsant Properties of Methanol Aerial Extract of Bryophyllum Pinnatum (Lam.) Oken (Crassulaceae) In Mice and Chicks

Abstract

Background: Bryophyllum pinnatum is an environmental weed from the Crassulaceae family that is often used to treat convulsion, hypertension, diarrhea, insect bites, asthma and other ailments.Objectives: To evaluate the anticonvulsant potential of methanol aerial extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum plant in mice and chicks.Materials and Methods: The anticonvulsant potential was studied using Maximal electroshock Test (MEST) and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) test in one day old chicks and mice at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extract i.p respectively. Positive control drugs used were sodium valproate (200 mg/kg) and phenytoin (20 mg/kg) in PTZ and MEST respectively while distilled water (10 ml/kg) i.p was used as negative control in all experiments.Results: The intraperitoneal LD50 of the extract was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight with an indication that the extract is relatively safe. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) prolongation of the mean onset of seizures was recorded with the extract at 1000 mg/kg body weight compared with normal saline treated group in PTZ induced seizures. Bryopyllum pinnatum methanol aerial extract also significantly reduced the mean recovery time of seizures at doses 500 and 1000 mg/kg induced by MEST when compared with normal saline treated group. Conversely, a significant (p ≤ 0.05) delay in the mean onset of seizures was recorded with standard drugs, sodium valproate (200 mg/kg) and phenytoin (20 mg/kg) in PTZ and MEST respectively.Conclusion: Methanol extract of the aerial part of Bryophyllum pinnatum possesses anticonvulsant activities.

Ethnopharmacological benefit of Nigerian indigenous Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf on convulsive rats

“…The above phytochemicals from other plants have been reported to have anticonvulsant properties in various animal models of epilepsy like PTZ, MES, electrical kindling, etc. The result conforms with the findings of Latif et al [22] and Bakare et al [23]. These phytochemicals have been reported to exert pharmacological actions which include antimicrobial, anticancer, antihypertensive, antidepressant, antidiabetic, wound healing property, antilithogenic, hapato-protective, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity of testis, uterine contractility, immunosuppressive effect, neuropharmacological activity, antioxidant, antitussive, antiasthmatic, insecticidal activity, fungitoxic phytotoxic and antiurolithic, anticonvulsant activities [22].…”

“…The anticonvulsant effect of the leaf extract using pentylenetetazole-induced rat model agrees with the finding of Dutta et al [26], who also reported the antivonvulsant effect of the ethanol leaf extract on experimental mice. Another study by Bakare et al [23] reported that the 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg of the methanol extract had 0.00, 16.67 and 50% protection against PTZ-induced convulsion in mice.…”

“…Furthermore, the doses of the extract used in this study were lower than 30% of the LD50. These doses are relatively safe for ethnopharmacological research [23]. Prevention of seizures induced by PTZ and strychnine in laboratory animals is the most commonly used preliminary screening test for characterizing potential anticonvulsant drugs [2].…”