Summary:The central nervous system depressant activity of the crude methanol extract (REC) and fractions (RE1, RE2, and RE3) of Russelia equisetiformis were evaluated in mice using the following models: amphetamine -induced stereotypy, picrotoxin -induced convulsion and phenobarbitone sleeping time. At 200-400mg/kg, REC significantly increased phenobarbitone-sleeping time (p< 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner and also reduced the sleep latency significantly (p< 0.05). The fractions, at doses 1.5mg/kg for RE1 and 20mg/kg for RE2 and RE3 also significantly prolonged Phenobarbitone sleeping time and sleep latency (p< 0.05). Picrotoxin -induced convulsion was not prevented by 100-400mg/kg of REC but this dose range significantly prolonged seizure latency. A significant reduction (p< 0.05) in amphetamine -induced stereotype behavior was observed with 200mg/kg REC, but there was no protection against amphetamine -induced mortality. The results of this study suggest that Russelia equisetiformis methanol extract possesses central nervous system depressant activities.
Aim: To investigate anti-hyperlipidemic activity of methanol leaf extract of Persea americana (MEPA) in cholesterol-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Methodology: The animals were randomly divided into five groups of 5 rats each. Group1 served as the normal control (NC) and received distilled water. Group 2, the cholesterol-induced hyperlipidemic control (CHOL) was given cholesterol diet (20% groundnut oil, 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid mixed with rat pellet) orally. Groups 3 and 4 received oral administration of cholesterol diet and MEPA at a dose of 20 and 40 mg/kg body weight respectively, while group 5 was treated orally with cholesterol diet and cholestyramine (0.26g/kg body weight). Cholesterol diet, MEPA and cholestyramine were administered daily for a period of eight weeks. Results: The changes observed in the plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) of hyperlipidemic control rats were reversed by MEPA in a dose-dependent manner. At 20 mg/kg body weight, MEPA significantly (p<0.05) reduced TC, TG and LDL plasma levels by 54.2%, 46.2% and 65.6% respectively, and increased HDL plasma level by 60.0%. At a higher dose of 40 mg/kg, MEPA reduced TC, TG and LDL levels by 60.4%, 69.2% and 87.5% respectively while HDL was increased by 80.0%. There was a significant increase of change in body weight of hyperlipidemic rats compared to the change in normal control. MEPA caused a reduction of change in body weight to nearly that of the normal control. MEPA also dose-dependently caused significant reduction (p<0.05) of plasma lipid peroxidation in the rats. The anti-hyperlipidemic effect of MEPA was comparable to that of the standard drug, cholestyramine. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that Persea americana could be a source
Aim: To investigate anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive potentials of aqueous stem bark extract of Khaya senegalensis A. Juss (Meliaceae) in rodents. Methodology: Anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous stem bark extract of K. senegalensis (AKS) was studied in different models. Effect of the extract in acute inflammation was tested in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and its effect in chronic inflammation was evaluated using cotton pellet-induced granuloma test. Croton oilinduced ear edema in mice was used to investigate the effect of the extract on topical inflammation. Antinociceptive property of AKS was evaluated using three models of nociception: hot-plate test, acetic acid-induced writhing in mice and formalin-induced paw licking in rats. Membrane stabilizing effect of AKS was tested in heat and hypotonicity-induced hemolysis. The mechanism of antinociceptive effect of the extract was evaluated by pre-treating rats with metoclopramide, a dopamine (D2) antagonist (1.5 mg/kg body wt.) and naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist (5 mg/kg body wt.).
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