Pharmacological screening of Malian medicinal plants used against epilepsy and convulsions

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Several medicinal plants are used in Mali to treat epilepsy and convulsions. So far, no studies have investigated the pharmacological effect of these plants.

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antiepileptic potential of the ethanolic extracts of 11 Malian medicinal plants.

Materials and methods

The extracts were screened for antiepileptic properties in the mouse cortical wedge preparation and in the [³H]-flumazenil binding assay. Two of the plant extracts were investigated for anticonvulsive properties in the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling model in mice. Possible side effects on motor impairment were evaluated using the rota-rod test.

Results

Extracts of 10 of the 11 medicinal plants showed affinity to the benzodiazepine binding site on the GABA_A receptor. Seven of the 11 extracts inhibited the spontaneous discharges (SEDs) in the mouse cortical wedge preparation, with the extracts of Flueggea virosa and Psorospermum senegalense being the most potent. However, when tested for in vivo anticonvulsive properties these two extracts failed to show any effect on PTZ-induced seizures in mice.

Conclusions

The pharmacological screening of the ethanolic extracts of 11 Malian medicinal plants in vitro lead to the identification of several extracts with potential anticonvulsant properties.