Anticonvulsant Effect of Glyphaea Brevis (Speng) Moraches Leaf Extracts in Mice and Preliminary Phytochemical Tests

The anticonvulsant activities of an aqueous ethanol (70%) extract of Glyphaea brevis leaves were studies in mice to evaluate this aspect of the folkloric use of the plant. Two anticonvulsant evaluation tests, namely the strychnine and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) test were used for the assessment of anti-seizure effects. The results showed that a non-lethal dose of 400mg kg-1 body weight of the extract offered 60% protection to the animals against strychnine-induced convulsion. In PTZ – induced convulsion non-lethal doses of 400 mg and 800 mg kg-1 body weight of the extract offered the same degree of protection to the animals but it is interesting to note that a longer seizure onset time obtained with 800 mg kg-1 body weight dose (8.73 ± 0.8) while a shorter seizure onset time was obtained with 400 mg kg-1 body weight does (6.20 ± 1.2 (p # 0.05). Phytochemical tests suggested the presence glyocosides and absence of alkaloids and absence of alkaloids in the extract. NQJHM Vol. 13 (3-4) 2003: pp. 62-6