Anti-Seizure Activity of the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Solanum Nigrum Linn (solanaceae) in Experimental Animals

• Published in: African health sciences Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 74 - 79
• Main Authors: Wannang, Noel N, Anuka, Joseph A, Kwanashie, Helen O, Gyang, Steven S, Auta, Asa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uganda Makerere University Medical School 01-06-2008; Makerere Medical School
• Subjects: Animals; anti-seizure activity; Anticonvulsants - administration & dosage; Anticonvulsants - chemistry; Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; Chickens; chicks; Epilepsy; Epilepsy - drug therapy; Female; Flowers & plants; Health and Medicine; Male; Medical research; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Original; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Science and Technology; Seizures - chemically induced; Seizures - drug therapy; Solanum nigrum; Solanum nigrum - adverse effects; Solanum nigrum - chemistry; Nigeria
• ISSN: 1680-6905; 1729-0503

Background: Solanum nigrum is claimed in traditional medical
practice, to be useful in the treatment of epilepsy in some parts of
Nigeria. Objectives: To study the anti-convulsant property of the
aqueous extract of the leaves of S. nigrum in chicks, mice and rats.
Method: Aqueous extracts were administered intraperitoneally, at a
pre-treatment time of 30 minutes, at graded doses and animals were
challenged with different types of proconvulsants. Results: The
aqueous leaf extract produced a significantly (P <0.05) dose
dependent protection against electrically-induced seizure in chicks and
rats, pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure in mice and rats and
picrotoxin-induced seizure in mice and rats. The anti-seizure property
of the extract was potentiated by amphetamine. Conclusion: The result
obtained in this study suggests that the leaves of this plant may
possess anti-convulsant property in chicks, mice and rats.