Anticonvulsant potentials of methanol leaf extract of Cissus cornifolia Planch (Vitaceae) in mice and chicks

Cissus cornifolia Baker-Planch is an annual herb used in traditional medicine for the treatment of epilepsy. The anticonvulsant effects of the methanol extract of Cissus cornifolia leaf was evaluated in chicks using maximal electroshock test, and in mice using 4-aminopyridine, pentylenetetrazole, strychnine and picrotoxin induced seizure models at doses of 75, 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg. The extract of Cissus cornifolia leaf significantly (p<0.05) prolonged the latency to convulsions in 4-aminopyridine, pentylenetetrazole and strychnine-induced seizure models. Cissus cornifolia extract at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg provided 66.67% protection against picrotoxin induced convulsions. It also significantly (p<0.05) prolonged the latency to picrotoxin-induced convulsions at the same doses. On the other hand, the extract did not protect the chicks against hind limb tonic extension in maximal electro-shock test. The results obtained indicated potential anticonvulsant activity of the methanol leaf extract of Cissus cornifolia, thus giving credence to the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of epilepsy.Keywords: Cissus cornifolia, Epilepsy, Chemoconvulsant, Anticonvulsan

Preliminary antidiarrhoeal activity of methanolic extracts of Securinega virosa (Euphorbiaceae)

Securinega virosa is used as remedy for diarrhoea in tropical Africa, but has not been investigated for its antidiarrhoeal activity. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the methanolic extracts of theleaves, stem bark and root bark for antidirrhoeal activity, using castor oil-induced diarrhoeal model in mice. The effects of these extracts on perfused isolated rabbit jejunum were also evaluated. Themethanolic leaves extract (8 x 10-5 – 1.6 x 10-3 mgml-1) produced a dose-dependent relaxation of the rabbit jejunum, while the methanolic stem bark and root bark extracts (2 x 10-5 – 3.2 x 10-3 mgml-1)produced contraction of the tissue. The methanolic root bark extract produced a dose-dependent protection against the castor oil- induced diarrhoea with the highest protection (100%), obtained at 100mgkg-1 comparable to that of loperamide (5 mgkg-1), the standard agent. The leaves extract also protected the mice but was not dose-dependent. The highest protection (60%) was obtained at thelowest dose (50 mgkg-1). The stem bark extract did not protect the animal against diarrhoea. The preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed that the three extracts contained similar phytochemicalconstituents which include alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. However, only the leaves extract contained anthraquinone glycosides. The acute toxicity test revealed the medianlethal dose (LD50) values for the leaves, stem bark and root bark extracts to be 1265, 288.5 and 774.6 mgkg-1 respectively. This suggests that the stem bark extract is relatively the most toxic. These results obtained revealed that the leaves and root bark extracts possess pharmacological activity against diarrhoea and may possibly explain the use of the plant in traditional medicine

Phytochemical Screening and Preliminary Evaluation of Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Methanol Root Extract of Cissus Polyantha

Cissus polyantha is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of conjunctivitis and inflammation. In this study, the methanolic root extract of Cissus polyantha was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening, analgesic and anti-inflammatory studies. Phytochemical studies was carried out using standard phytochemical protocol while the analgesic studies was carried out using acetic acid-induced writhing tests in mice. Carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema in rats was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of the extract. Phytochemical studies of the methanolic crude root extract of the plant revealed the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, saponins, tannins steroids and triterpenes. The extract at doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg, i.p significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the acetic-acid induced writhing. The extract also produced significant (P < 0.05) and dose-independent anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of reference drug, ketoprofen. The intraperitoneal lethal dose (LD 50) toxicity studies on the methanol crude root extract of the plant was found to be 288.53 mg/kg body weight. These findings are suggestive of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potentials of the methanol root bark extract of the plant and provide a scientific rationale for the use of the root of Cissus polyantha in traditional medicine.Keywords: Cissus polyantha, Phytochemical screening Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, traditiona

Behavioural Effects of the Methanolic Root Bark Extract of Securinega Virosa in Rodents

Securinega virosa is used traditionally as sedative in children and in mental illnesses. In this study, the behavioral effects of methanolic root bark extract of S. virosa were investigated in mice. The results revealed that the extract significantly (P<0.05) and dose-dependently reduced the onset and prolonged the duration of sleep. The extract significantly (P<0.05) decreased exploratory activity and reduced the rate of apomorphine-induced stereotyped climbing at the doses tested (6.25–25mg/kg). It also produced a significant and dose-dependent motor coordination deficit in mice at the doses tested (P<0.01). The intraperitoneal median lethal dose in mice was 774.6mg/kg while the preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins and flavonoids. These results suggest that methanolic root bark extract of S. virosa contains biologically active principles that are sedative in nature and lend pharmacological credence to the ethnomedical use of the plant