Anti-Convulsant Activity of Benincasa hispida Fruit, Methanol Extract

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect of methanol extract of Benincasa hispida fruit in various convulsive models in mice. Methods: Methanol extract of B. hispida was evaluated using chemo-convulsive agents such as pentylenetetrazole, strychnine and picrotoxin, and maximal electro seizures (MES) model in mice at dose levels ranging from 0.2 - 1g/kg, i.p. Results: The extract at 0.2-0.6 g/kg significantly (p<0.001) inhibited the hind limb extension induced by MES and at 0.4 and 0.6 g/kg, the extract significantly (p<0.01) increased the latency of convulsion and death induced by pentylenetetrazole and strychnine. However even at 1 g/kg, the extract failed to protect the convulsion induced by picrotoxin. Conclusion: On the basis of the present finding, we can conclude that the fruit B. hispida possess potential anticonvulsant activity.