PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES OF HOMALIUM LETESTUI STEM EXTRACTS
B. Ramya Sree
Department of Biotechnology, Sree Vidyanikethan Engineering College, Tirupati
Jyothi M. Joy
Department of Pharmacognosy, Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupati
Homalium letestui Pellegr (Flacourtiaceae) used in various decoctions traditionally by the Ibibios of the Niger Delta of Nigeria to treat stomach ulcer, malaria, and other inflammatory diseases, as well as an aphrodisiac was investigated for depressive and anticonvulsant activities. The stem extract (500 – 1000 mg/kg) was investigated for depressive activity in open field, force swimming and tail suspension tests as well as its anticonvulsant potential against pentylenetetrazol and aminophylline-induced convulsions. The effect of the extract on phenobarbitone induced sleeping time was also evaluated. The extract was found to significantly (p<0.001) decreased the frequency of line crossing, rearing and walling activities of the rats in open field test as well as increased the immobility time in both tail suspension and force swimming tests. The stem extract also significantly (p<0.001) shortened the onset time of sleep and prolonged the duration of sleep induced by phenobarbitone sodium. The stem extract (500 – 1000 mg/kg), could not offered significant protection against PTZ- and aminophylline induced convulsion but were found to delay significantly (p<0.05 – 0.001) the onset of tonic/clonic convulsion and also prolonged the time of death of the treated mice. The stembark of Homalium letestui has depressant, sedating and anticonvulsant properties.
4 , 3 , 2014
158 - 164