Effects of methyl alcoholic extract of Pimpinella anisum L. on picrotoxin induced seizure in mice and its probable mechanism

Pimpinella Anisum L. is a well known medicinal plant, that is suggested as carminative, analgesic and anticonvulsant in traditional medicine. In the present investigation the effect of percolated extract of this plant on picrotoxin induced seizure in mice was studied. The study was performed on animals pretreated with different doses of extract via intraperitoneal injection. After 20 minutes each animal received picrotoxin 12mg/kg intraperitoneally for induction of seizure. The effects of the extract on delaying the onset and duration of seizure and death time were evaluated in experimental and control groups. The results showed that there is increased delay in the onset of seizure in the mice which had been pretreated with different doses of the extract. The most effective dose of extract was 200mg/kg (p<0.05). In addition, this dose delayed the time of death in mice (p<0.01). The effect of the extract with dose of 200 mg/kg was more satisfactory than phenobarbital (40mg/kg) on delaying death time. The results indicated that the extract of Pimpinella anisum L. possesses beneficial effects on picrotoxin induced seizure. Further investigations concerning the beneficial effects of this medicinal plant are recommended.