ANTICONVULSANT SCREENING OF THE METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF TAPINANTHUS DODONEIFOLIUS DC DANSER (LORANTHACEAE) IN PENTYLENETETRAZOLE INDUCED SEIZURE MODEL IN ALBINO RATS

Abstract

Tapinanthus dodoneifolius DC Danser (Loranthaceae) also known as African mistletoe is a medicinal plant found in Nigeria and has diverse ethno-medical uses including the management of epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Tapinanthus dodoneifolius. The leaves of the plant were collected from Azadirachta indica trees in Borno state, Nigeria. They were air dried, and then size reduced into a coarse powder which was defatted with petroleum ether and then extracted by maceration using methanol. The anticonvulsant activity of the extract obtained was investigated by studying its effect on seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole in Wistar rats with diazepam and sodium valproate as standard controls. Tapinanthus dodoneifolius (125 and 250 mg/kg) dose dependently delayed the onset of clonic convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazole (p<0.01). However, 500 mg/kg of the extract offered 100% protection against pentylenetetrazole induced clonic convulsion. The extract dose dependently protected the rats against mortality caused by pentylenetetrazole induced convulsion. The data obtained suggest that Tapinanthus dodoneifolius possesses significant anticonvulsant activity.