EVALUATION OF ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITY OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF Hunteria umbellata SEED IN PENTYLENETETRAZOL (PTZ) INDUCED CONVULSION IN MICE

ABSTRACT

Hunteria umbellata has been known to treat a wide range of illnesses in people. This current study aimed to evaluate the anticonvulsant properties in methanol seed extract of Hunteria umbellata on PTZ induced convulsion in mice. The seed was collected, dried, powdered and then extracted in a Soxhlet apparatus using methanol. Twenty mice of either sex was used for this study weighing 18 - 22.5 g and were randomly divided into five groups of four mice each. Group I served as the control and were given distilled water (vehicle for the extract), group II III and IV served as the treatment group and were administered 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg of the extract respectively, group V served as the standard group and were administered 2 mg/kg of diazepam. After an hour of administration, 70 mg/kg of Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) was administered intraperitoneally to the various groups and the animals were observed for onset and duration of convulsion. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference in time of onset and duration of convulsion. Also, the animals were partially protected at doses of 250 and 500 mg/Kg and 75% protected by the standard drug diazepam, while there was no protection at 1000 mg/Kg as all the animals died. In conclusion, the plant extract does not possess anticonvulsant effect.