ABSTRACT
Various plant parts of Andansonia digitata have been traditionally well known for their diverse medicinal properties. The anticonvulsant, motor co-ordination, hypnotic effects of the methanol leaf extract of Adansonia digitata were investigated in rodents.
Anticonvulsant models (maximal electric shock and pentylenetetrazole induced convulsion) were used to determine the anticonvulsant activity in mice. The methanol leaf extract’s ability to impair motor coordination was determined in mice, while the influence of the extract to prolong barbiturate induced sleeping time was also investigated in rats.
The methanol extract protected the animals against maximal electric shock-induced convulsion at the doses that were used. No protection was offered against pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion.
The extreme doses 100 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of the extract significantly (p<0.01) prolonged barbiturate-induced sleeping time in rats and impaired motor co-ordination ability of the mice.
The result have shown that the methanol leaf extract of Andansonia digitata may contain active principle that act on central nervous system via a depressant action and offer protection against maximal electric shock-induced convulsion.
