COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANTICONVULSANT EFFECT OF THE LEAVES OF SAPINDUS EMARGINATUS AND ACORUS CALAMUS IN EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED ANIMAL MODELS OF EPILEPSY

Objective: To compare anticonvulsant activity of methanol extracts of Sapindus emarginatus (MESE) and Acorus calamus (MEAC) in experimental seizure models in mice. Methods: Hind limb tonic extension (HLTE) in Maximal electroshock (MES) seizure and clonic seizure in Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) seizure models were assessed. Group I (control) mice received 1% gum acacia in distilled water (1 ml/100 g). Topiramate (50 mg/kg) was administered in group II (standard) animals. Group III and IV mice were treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg of MESE, respectively. Mice in group V and VI were given MEAC at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. Drugs were given orally suspended in 1% gum acacia suspension (1 ml/100 g) for 7 d. Next day after 1 h of drug administration, the seizure was induced for evaluation. Results: Anticonvulsant property of both extracts was confirmed by reduction (p<0.001) in HLTE phase in MES model; delayed onset of the clonic seizure (p<0.001) and its shortened phase (p<0.001) in PTZ model when compared with the control. MESE-200 mg/kg produced significantly longer (p<0.001) HLTE phase with lower protection (40.34%) among the different doses of the extracts. Clonic seizure onsets and durations in PTZ model were comparable among the different extract-treated groups; however, mortality was higher (66.6%) with MESE-200 mg/kg. Conclusion: Anticonvulsant activity of MESE and MEAC was evident; however, MESE at the dose of 200 mg/kg was less effective.