title: Evaluation of the effect of jobelyn(®) on chemoconvulsants-induced seizure in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epilepsy is a common central nervous system (CNS) disorder characterized by seizures resulting from episodic neuronal discharges. The incidence of toxicity and refractoriness has compromised the clinical efficacy of the drugs currently used for the treatment of convulsions. Thus, there is a need to search for new medicines from plant origin that are readily available and safer for the control of seizures. Jobelyn(®) (JB) is a unique African polyherbal preparation used by the natives to treat seizures in children. This investigation was carried out to evaluate whether JB has anti-seizure property in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The animals received JB (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o) 30 min before induction of convulsions with intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of picotoxin (6 mg/kg), strychnine (2 mg/kg) and pentylenetetrazole (85 mg/kg) respectively. Diazepam (2 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as the reference drug. Anti-seizure activities were assessed based on the ability of test drugs to prevent convulsions, death or to delay the onset of seizures in mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  JB (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o) could only delay the onset of seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole (85 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice. However, it did not did not offer any protection against seizure episodes, as it failed to prevent the animals, from exhibiting tonic-clonic convulsions caused by pentylenetetrazole (85 mg/kg, i.p.), strychnine (2 mg/kg) or picrotoxin (6 mg/kg, i.p.). On the other hand, diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.p.), offered 100% protection against convulsive seizures, induced by pentylenetetrazole (85 mg/kg, i.p.). However, it failed to prevent seizures produced by strychnine (2 mg/kg, i.p.) or picrotoxin (6 mg/kg, i.p.).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that JB could not prevent the examined chemoconvulsants-induced convulsions. However, its ability to delay the latency to seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole suggests that JB might be effective in the control of the seizure spread in epileptic brains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Solomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Umukoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Itivere Adrian
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Omogbiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Anthony Taghogho
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Eduviere
keywords: Anti-Seizure; Jobelyn®; Pentylenetetrazole; Picrotoxin; Strychnine