Bienvenu, E: Evaluation Of The Antiepileptic Activity

To investigated in L. leonurus the anticonvulsant properties and the possible mechanism of action. Seizures were induced in mice with injection of doses of pentylenetetrazole, picrotoxin, bicuculline and N-methyl-DL-aspartic acid. The ability of the plant extract to prevent or prolong the tonic hind-limb extensor reflex was assessed. The results were statistically analyzed using the paired Student‘s t-test and Chi- squared test. L. leonurus extract in the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively protected 37.5% and 50% of animals used and significantly (p0.05) delayed pentylenetetrazole-induced tonic seizures. Similarly, the same doses of the plant extract significantly (p0.05) delayed the onset of tonic seizures produced by picrotoxin and N-methyl-DL-aspartic acid. However, all the doses of aqueous extract of L. leonurus used did not alter the seizures induced by bicuculline (20 mg/kg) to any significant extent. L. leonurus has anticonvulsant activity and may probably be acting through non-specific mechanisms, since it affects both gabaergic and glutaminergic systems.