Anti-convulsant Effects of Bongardia chrysogonum L. Tuber in the Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizure Model

Abstract

Background and Objective: The dried tuber of Bongardia chrysogonum (L.) is a popular folk remedy for its use in the treatment of epilepsy in traditional medicine. The study aimed to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-convulsant activity of B. chrysogonum ethanolic-aqueous extract using the Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindling animal model. Materials and Methods: Male mice were randomly selected and divided into 9 experimental groups including: Control group, pentylenetetrazole kindled mice, positive mice group receiving valproate (200 mg kg–1 p.o.) a classic anticonvulsant drug and 3 groups receiving B. chrysogonum tuber-ethanolic or aqueous extract at a doses of (600, 900 and 1200 mg kg–1 p.o.). All groups, except the control, were kindled by 11 injections of PTZ (40 mg kg–1, i.p.). All groups, except the control group, were tested at 12th PTZ challenge dose (75 mg kg–1 i.p.). The exhibited phases of seizure (0-6) were observed and noted; moreover, anti-oxidant effect of these extract was examined in in vitro study by using a spectrophotometric technique. The significance of differences between groups were determined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc test, Dunnett’s multiple comparison tests. Results: The data showed that both valproate and B. chrysogonum tuber extracts delay the onset of convulsions, decrease duration of the seizure and reduced mortality significantly (p<0.05). In addition, B. chrysogonum showed a wide range of scavenging capacities for free radicals, which may underpin the effective in vivo seizure suppression. Conclusion: It was concluded that B. chrysogonum L. tuber extracts display anti-oxidant, free radical scavenging properties in vitro and, in mice, provides new scientific evidence for the anti-seizure properties of B. chrysogonum.