EVALUATION OF THE ANTICONVULSANT POTENCY OF THE COMBINED ETHANOL EXTRACT OF GARCINA KOLA (BITTER KOLA) AND PALM KERNEL OIL (ELEAS GUINEENSIS) IN MICE
Martin O. Anagboso*, Felix N. Osuala, Emmanuel I. Etim and Vivian A. Ike
ABSTRACT
Nigeria has a rich history of using various herbs, spices and herbal components for treating various diseases. Faced with the problem of non-compliance, cost of drug and toxicity experienced over the years from synthetic drugs, agents from plant source are expected to be less toxigenic and cheaper. Convulsion is a neuro-disorder in the brain function and is characterized by periodic and unpredictable occurrences of seizures. It is common in children especially during fever when the body temperature is high. Most local communities in eastern Nigeria make use of Garcina kola (bitter kola) and Eleas guineensis oil (palm kernel oil) either singly or concomitantly to manage convulsion in children. This work was aimed at investigating the anticonvulsant properties of these two plant products so as to give credence to this practice or otherwise. The palm kernel nuts and bitter kola fruits were collected, authenticated, dried and milled. The powdered Garcina kola (bitter kola) was macerated in ethanol for 72 hours, while the palm kernel was heated to obtain the oil. The crude extract obtained were concentrated and phytochemical test revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, phlobannins, anthroquinone and deoxy-sugars in G kola and palm kernel oil respectively. Chemomicroscopic investigation revealed the presence of lignin, starch, protein, mucilage, cellulose, gutin and suberin. The palm kernel oil and G. kola singly and in combination were investigated for anticonvulsant activity in mice against pentylene tetrazol (PTZ) and isoniazid-induced convulsion models to assess their anticonvulsant activity. The various regiments were found to significantly (p<0.005 - 0.01) offer protection against PTZ- and isoniazid-induced convulsions in mice, but the activities of the combined products were lowers than that of the individual product.
Keywords: Anticonvulsant, Eleas guineensis (Palm kernel oil), Garcina kola.
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