Anticonvulsant Effect of Ethyl Acetate and n-hexane Fractions of Celosia leptostachya Leaf Extracts in Mice

Celosia leptostachya is classified under the Amaranthaceae family. C. leptostachya possesses numerous medicinal uses. Traditional medicine practitioners exploit C. leptostachya mainly on curing illnesses such as boils, fever, snake bites, scorpion stings, eye infections, wounds and pain and most notably, epilepsy.

This study was designed to evaluate the anticonvulsant properties of the ethyl acetate (EAF) and n-hexane fractions (NHF) of C. leptostachya leaf extract in mice and determine the most active extract between EAF and NHF.

The acute toxicity was carried out to determine lethal dose (LD50) using Lorke’s method. Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), brucine and maximal electroshock (MES) were used to induce seizures in mice. We used Swinyard’s method of using an animal model of epilepsy. Thirty mice of both genders weighing 20-25 g were divided into five groups. Groups 1 and 5 are negative and positive controls, respectively. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were pre-treated with C. leptostachya extracts (100, 150 and 200 mg). Then, 30 minutes later, PTZ (90 mg/kg body weight) was administered. This method was repeated with brucine (110 mg/kg body weight). Regarding MES, after 30 minutes of administration of C. leptostachya leaf extract, an alternating current of 50 Hz and 35 mA was delivered to the animals in each group through ear-electrodes for 0.2 s.

Regarding MES, EAF (150 and 200 mg/kg) protected the animals against seizure, while NHF (150 and 200 mg/kg) could not prevent seizures. However, EAF and NHF (150 and 200 mg/kg) significantly decreased mean recovery time (P<0.05). In brucine-induced seizures, EAF (150 and 200 mg/kg) protected the mice against death and significantly (P<0.05) decreased mean recovery time. For PTZ-induced seizures, 200 mg/kg of EAF offered 100% protection against the mortality of mice and significantly reduced mean onset and recovering time (P<0.05). 

Based on the results, C. leptostachya has anticonvulsant properties and EAF extract has the highest potency.