Anticonvulsant Activity of Methanol Extract of Harungana madagascariensis Leaf on Mice Model of Isoniazid-induced Siezure

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a neurological illness that affects people of all ages and is characterized by excessive electric activity in the brain. This causes social embarrassment coupled with side effect of orthodox medication; hence, the needs to search for plant with antiepileptic agent. Aims: This study aimed at investigating the anticonvulsive effects of Methanol extract of  Harungana madagascriensis leaves on the isoniazid-induced (300 mg/kg, i.p) seizure in adult mice. Study Design: This is an original research carried out in the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Agbani, Enugu State, Nigeria, between Jan and June, 2021. Methodology: The pulverized leaf of Harungana. madagascariensis was extracted using cold maceration and the phytochemical screening was carried out by the method of Treas and Evans The acute toxicity study was evaluated by the method of Lorke’s and Anticonvulsant study was carried by the method of Webster and Velluci. Data generated was statistically analyzed using one way ANOVA. Results: Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids and steroids. Flavonoids, Phenols, and terpenoids appeared in abundant concentration (4264.00 ±360.2,14065.00 ±538.4, 5484.00±30.4). Acute toxicity tests showed no toxicity and mortality at doses up to 5000 mgkg-1. Anticonvulsant study revealed that the extract significantly (p =.05) delayed the onset of clonic seizure in a dose dependent manner and abridge the duration of siezure on the group treated with 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.w of extract compared with normal control when induced with isoniazid (300 mg/kg, i.p.). Conclusion: The results suggest that methanol extract of Harungana. madagascariensis leaves may have anticonvulsant activity, coupled with the presence of active secondary metabolites such as saponins, steriods and flavoniods which has a potentials for the management of epilepsy.