European Journal of Medicinal Plants

Aims: This work evaluated the anticonvulsant effect of aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis in Mice. This was to validate the use of T. occidentalis in the treatment of sudden attack of convulsions in folkloric medicine.

Study Design: One-factor, two controls - three test groups experimental design.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, between October 2012 and January 2013.

Methodology: Anticonvulsant effect of T. occidentalis was evaluated using the following animal models of convulsion: strychnine, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and maximal electroshock (MES). Five groups of white albino mice (n = 6) were randomly selected. Group 1 was the control (normal saline, 10 ml/kg, i.p.), group 2 was the positive control (diazepam, 1 mg/kg, i.p.), while group 3, 4 and 5 were treated with aqueous leaf extract at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p., respectively. All the animals in each group were pre-treated for 30 minutes before administration of PTZ (85 mg/kg, i.p.), strychnine (2 mg/kg, i.p.) or exposure to MES. The latency to convulsion, duration of convulsion and percentage protection from mortality were recorded in each group.

Results: T. occidentalis (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) was not effective in preventing strychnine and PTZ-induced convulsions, and did not prevent Hind Limb Tonic Extension (HLTE) in MES.

Conclusion: Aqueous leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis did not show significant anticonvulsant activity as claimed in folkloric medicine.