title: CNS depressant and anticonvulsant activities of the alcoholic extract of leaves of Ziziyphus nummularia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ziziyphus nummularia (family: Rhamnaceae) is a xerophyte, grows in the grazing lands of the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Ziziyphus nummularia (ZN) is used as sedative in ethnomedicine. The objective of this study is to investigate the anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative activities of the alcoholic extract of leaves of Ziziyphus nummularia (EZN).
  
  
  METHODS
  The anticonvulsant effect of the EZN (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg) was evaluated in mice using the pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock induced seizure models. Its anxiolytic activity was evaluated using the elevated plus maze, hole board and open field models board methods, while the pentobarbital induced sleep was used to evaluate the sedative activity. The acute toxicity and effect on motor coordination were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EZN (100-300 mg/kg) protected the mice against the pentylenetetrazole induced convulsions; it causes a significant (P<0.05) dose dependent increase in latency of convulsion. Treatment with EZN reduced the duration of the tonic hind limb extension induced by electroshock. Mice treated with EZN preferred the open arm of the plus maze and were found to be devoid of open-arm avoidance. EZN potentiation the barbiturate induce sleep in mice, it causes a decrease in the sleep latency and increases the duration of sleep.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained from the experiments indicate that the EZN has CNS depressant and anticonvulsant activities.
authors.affiliation: Lachoo Memorial College of Science and Technology, Pharmacy Wing, Jodhpur 342008, Rajasthan, India. Electronic address: manojgoyal620@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, BIT Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sasmal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D027823:Rhamnaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole
keywords: Anticonvulsant; Elevated plus maze; Hole board hypnotic; MES; PTZ; Ziziyphus nummularia