title: Antiepileptic and antipsychotic activities of standardized Śilājatu (Shilajit) in experimental animals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Śilājatu (Shilajit; SJ) is claimed in traditional Indian medical practice to be useful in the treatment of nervous disorders, epilepsy and as antistress.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether SJ possesses antiepileptic and antipsychotic activities in rodents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Isonicotinyl hydrazine (INH), pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), apomorphine, phenytoin, diazepam, haloperidol and other chemicals of analytical grade were procured from standard companies. The antiepileptic activity of SJ was assessed using maximal electro shock (MES)-induced seizures in rats, INH and PTZ-induced seizures in mice. The antipsychotic effect of SJ was evaluated using apomorphine-induced climbing and stereotyped behaviours respectively, in mice and rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  SJ (25 and 50 mg/kg, p.o.) was given orally once daily for 15 days in all the rodent models. On the test day, SJ was administered 1 h prior to electric shock or chemical inducers (INH/PTZ/apomorphine) in experimental animals; the animals were then observed for different phases of seizures and psychotic behaviours. In addition, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in the brain of rats and mice was estimated in seizure models.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were expressed as mean ± standard error of mean. Statistical comparisons were performed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-test using Graph Pad Prism version 5.0, USA. A P < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SJ pretreatment significantly inhibited the seizures induced by MES, INH and PTZ in a dose dependent manner. Further, SJ augmented brain GABA levels to normal, decreased by INH and PTZ in mice brain. SJ pretreatment also significantly inhibited the climbing and stereotyped behaviours induced by apomorphine. The present data seems to confirm the antiepileptic activity of SJ which may be because of enhancing the GABAergic system. The antipsychotic activity observed may be due to anti-dopaminergic and/or GABA-mimetic actions.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Sree Siddaganga College of Pharmacy, Tumkur, Karnataka, India.
authors: Sharanbasappa
authors: S
authors: Durg
authors: Department of Quality Assurance, Sree Siddaganga College of Pharmacy, Tumkur, Karnataka, India.
authors: Veeresh P
authors: VP
authors: Veerapur
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Sree Siddaganga College of Pharmacy, Tumkur, Karnataka, India.
authors: B S
authors: BS
authors: Thippeswamy
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Sree Siddaganga College of Pharmacy, Tumkur, Karnataka, India.
authors: Syed Mansoor
authors: SM
authors: Ahamed
keywords: Dopamine; GABA; fulvic acid; humic acid; seizures