title: Activity of a traditional South African epilepsy remedy in the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor assay.
abstract: Aqueous and ethanol extracts of six plants, Acrotome inflata, Aptosimum indivisum, Asparagus suaveolens, Barleria bolusii, Commiphora marlothii and Sesamum triphyllum, which constitute an ancient Northern Sotho remedy for epilepsy, Sehlare sa Seebana, was tested in the GABA(A)-benzodiazepine receptor binding assay. Both aqueous and ethanol extracts of Aptosimum indivisum and Asparagus suaveolens and the aqueous extract of Commiphora marlothii showed good dose-dependent activity. The ethanol extract of all six plants extracted together was more active that the aqueous extract. The results did not suggest a synergistic effect of the plant mixture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2 Universitetsparken, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark. ankj@dfuni.dk
authors.forename: Anna K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Seemole P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Mohoto
authors.forename: Fanie R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: van Heerden
authors.forename: Alvaro M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Viljoen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005442:Flumazenil