Abstract

ANTIEPILEPTIC POTENTIAL OF ARTEMISIA NILAGRICA LINN.DURING ETHANOL EXPOSURE AND ITS WITHDRAWAL IN ALBINO RATS

Agnelarul John Nayagam*, Shobana Gunasekaran, Santhi R

Abstract

Epilepsy is the second most common neurologic disorder after stroke. Approximately 1% of the world’s population has epilepsy, is a condition where the people suffer from recurrent seizure. The present study was aimed to evaluate the antiepileptic activity of aqueous extract of Artemisia nilagrica Linn. On ethanol induced seizures in albino rats. Experiments were carried out in wistar strains of albino rats and rats were divided in five groups. Group I rats was treated as normal, Group II rats was administrated with ethanol (38/ 1g bw/ day) for 30 days, Group III and Group IV rats was administrated with ethanol (38/1gbw/day) and followed by aqueous extract of Artemisia nilagrica Linn (100 and 200mg/1g bw/day) for 30 days. The effect of ethanol in the brain was estimating the physical behaviors like Immobility and swimming test, nociceptive function, locomotors activity, lipid peroxide antioxidants (SOD, LPO, and GSH) and neuro transmitters like acetylcholine esterase was determined. The histopathology of brain tissue of experimental animals was studied to support the effectiveness of the plant drug. Acute administration of ethanol, in a dose of (5g/kg bw/30 days) produced sedative which resulted in increased immobility and decreased swimming time. The ethanol intake also enhanced per oxidation of lipids in which produced oxidative stress followed by neurodegeneration. Oral administration of aqueous extracts of Artemisia nilagrica Linn in a dose 100 mg and 200mg/1gbw and ethanol for 30 days did not change either swimming and nociceptive behaviour or normal function of neural cells. Conclusion: The result concludes that the aqueous extract of Artemisia nilagirica Linn has nociceptive, antiepileptic and antioxidant effects against ethanol.

Keywords: Artemisia nilagirica Linn, Epilepsy, Ethanol, Antioxidant.