Pharmacological Role of Alstonia scholaris Leaves for its Anticonvulsant and Sedative Action

Background & Objectives: Alstonia scholaris leaves were used to evaluate the anticonvulsant and sedative potential on the basis of its traditional and folklore uses in epilepsy as containing chemical constituents like alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids and flavonoids, which show the CNS activity. On the basis of its folk use, the study was designed to evaluate the anticonvulsant and sedative potential of ethanolic extract of Alstonia scholaris (EEAS) leaves.
Methods: For anticonvulsant study-MES induced convulsion, Isoniazid induced convulsion and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced convulsion methods were used. For sedative study-Locomotor activity of mice using actophotometer and pentobarbitone induced sleeping time model in mice were performed. Results and discussion: The extract is effective in Isoniazid, PTZ and Maximal Electroshock (MES) induced convulsion model. 400mg/kg dose of the EEAS shows the maximum protection of epilepsy induced by the MES and the chemical convulsant as compared to low dose (200 mg/kg) of Alstonia scholaris. EEAS also possess the sedative activity when tested in Pentobarbitone induced sleep, further it decreases the locomotor activity in mice. The 400mg/kg extract potentiate the effect of Pentobarbitone.
Conclusion: The study concluded that the ethanolic extract of Alstonia scholaris possesses antiepileptic and sedative potential. These effects may be due to alteration in the GABA mediated chloride channel of neurons associated with sleep activity.

Author(s): Rajbala Singh, Harikesh Maurya, Imran Kazmil, Muhammad Afzal, Garima Kandpal, Gaurav Gupta, Prashant Kumar, Firoz Anwar

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