title: Anticonvulsant activity of ethanol extracts of Vetiveria zizanioides roots in experimental mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vetiveria zizanioides Linn. (Gramineae), an aromatic plant commonly known as vetiver, is traditionally used for various ailments. Ethanol and aqueous extract of this plant found extensive use in Indian folklore medicine and used in treatment of a wide range of disorders including seizure. However, the anticonvulsant activity of this plant has not been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate anticonvulsant activity of ethanol extract of V. zizanioides (EEVZ) in experimental mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anticonvulsant activity of EEVZ was determined by maximal electroshock stimulation (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) in mice for 8 d experimental protocol. The extract at a dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight was administered once by oral route.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LD50 value of EEVZ in mice was found at a dose of 600 mg/kg body weight. EEVZ at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly (p < 0.001) reduced flexion (l5.98 to 3.73 s), extension (13.73 to 0.96 s), clonus (14.07 to 4.93 s), stupor (6.29 to 1.22 s) in the MES model. Further, it increases onset of clonic (88.25 to 708.32 s/30 min) and tonic (139.52 to 1126.39 s/30 min) in the PTZ model. In the PTZ model, 33% normal control and 83% EEVZ (100 mg/kg) animals were alive, while 100% protection was achieved in standard drug phenobarbital (20 mg/kg), EEVZ (200 mg/kg) and EEVZ (400 mg/kg) animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings demonstrate that V. zizanioides shows significant anticonvulsant activity in mice.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Bharat Institute of Technology , Meerut, Uttar Pradesh , India .
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Krishan Kant
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Zoheir A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Damanhouri
authors.forename: Babar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Rupinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kazmi
authors.forename: Firoz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anwar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D049930:Chrysopogon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004597:Electroshock; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003292:Convulsants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole