EVALUATION OF ANTI-EPILEPTIC ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF ROOTS OF ACALYPHA FRUTICOSA WITH DIAZEPAM

ABSTRACT The Present study is to evaluate the antiepileptic activity of ethanol extract of roots of Acalypha fruticosa .The antiepileptic activity of ethanol extract of Acalypha fruticosa at the doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o. was evaluated by Maximum electroshock (MES), Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced convulsions in mice. Statistical analysis was carried out by one-way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett's test. In PTZ-induced convulsions the administration of EEAF (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg p.o.) increased the onset time of jerks, tonic and clonic convulsions in mice compared to control group mice EEAF decreased the duration of PTZ-induced seizure reflexes in mice when compared to control group animals and showed increased protection against seizure susceptibility. In MES model the administration of EEAF (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg p.o.) increased the onset time of tonic hind limb extension in mice when compared to control group mice and it decreased the duration of extension of hind limbs when compared to control group animals. The ethanol extract of roots of Acalypha fruticosa exhibited significant and dose-dependant antiepileptic activity in both MES and PTZ-induced convulsions. KEYWORDS: Acalypha fruticosa, Diazepam, Epilepsy, Pentylenetetrazole, MES model