Anti-seizure activity of the aqueous leaf extract of Solanum nigrum linn (solanaceae) in experimental animals.

BACKGROUND

Solanum nigrum is claimed in traditional medical practice, to be useful in the treatment of epilepsy in some parts of Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE

To study the anti-convulsant property of the aqueous extract of the leaves of S. nigrum in chicks, mice and rats.

METHODS

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.

CONCLUSIONS

The result obtained in this study suggests that the leaves of this plant may possess anti-convulsant property in chicks, mice and rats.