title: Sedative, antiepileptic and antipsychotic effects of Viscum album L. (Loranthaceae) in mice and rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viscum album L. is claimed in traditional medical practice, to be useful in the treatment of epilepsy and insomnia in Himachal Pradesh, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of Viscum album L. on epilepsy, psychosis and sedative activity was evaluated in mice and rats using standard procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aqueous leaf extract of Viscum album L. prolonged the pentobarbital induced sleeping time and reduced the locomotor activity in actophotometer. This suggests that reduced locomotor activity facilitate GABAergic transmission. In addition the extract reduced MES, INH and PTZ-induced convulsions which suggest that there may be possibility of blocking Na(+) channels, opening of Cl(-) channels or enhancing the GABAergic system. The extract decreased the apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior and potentiates the HAL-induced cataleptic score which suggests the extract possess antidopaminergic activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained in present study suggested that title plant exhibited sedative, antiepileptic and antipsychotic activity in mice and rats.
authors.affiliation: Siddhartha Institute of Pharmacy, Near IT Park, Dehradun, India.
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kazmi
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Mahfoozur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Shakir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Md Shamim
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: Mohammad Javed
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Khusroo
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nazeer
authors.forename: Sayeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Mohd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mujeeb
authors.forename: Zubair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Firoz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anwar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D001058:Apomorphine; D002375:Catalepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D007538:Isoniazid; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D028182:Viscum album
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D006220:Haloperidol; D001058:Apomorphine; D007538:Isoniazid