Sedative and anticonvulsant evaluation of Tapinanthus globiferus A. Rich (Loranthaceae) in mice and chicks

Abstract

Tapinanthus globiferus is mistletoe that is used in folklore for the management of sleep disorders and epilepsy, amongst others. This study was designed to evaluate the sedative and anticonvulsant properties of the ethanol extract of T. globiferus in mice and chicks. The extract was screened for its sedative activity and effect on motor coordination using diazepam-induced sleep and beam-walk assay respectively; while anticonvulsant property was screened, using maximal electroshock (MES), pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and strychnine (STN)-induced seizure test models. Experiments were conducted in mice except MES which was conducted in day old cockerels, with all drug administered by intraperitoneal route. Data was analysed using ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post-hoc test. The extract produced a significant (p ≤ 0.05) and dose-dependent decreased in the onset and increased in the duration of diazepam-induced sleep at doses of 87.5, 175 and 350 mg/kg and also produced significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in number of foot slips and the time spent on beam at the highest dose of 350 mg/kg, compared to control. However, the extract had no effect on the onset of seizure compared to the control in both PTZ and STN-induced seizures and offered no protection against STN and MES-induced seizure. The results indicated that the ethanol extract of T. globiferus possesses sedative effects in mice and minimum or no anticonvulsant properties in mice and chicks.

Keywords: Tapinanthus globiferus, Electroshock, Pentylenetetrazole, Strychnine