CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · International Journal of Epilepsy 2016; 03(01): 012-019
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijep.2016.02.001
Original Article
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaves on pharmacological models of epilepsy and anxiety in mice

Suvarna P. Ingale
1   SCES's Indira College of Pharmacy, Pune 411033, India
,
Foram P. Gandhi
1   SCES's Indira College of Pharmacy, Pune 411033, India
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 28 September 2015

Accepted: 03 February 2016

Publication Date:
08 May 2018 (online)

Abstract

Objective Among the psychiatric co-morbidities in epilepsy, anxiety disorders are highly frequent and have profound influence on the quality of life of epilepsy patients. Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) is used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments including anxiety and epilepsy. However, no scientific evidence exists to support its use. We studied antiepileptic and anxiolytic activities of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves (AEMO).

Methods Antiepileptic activity was evaluated using pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced seizure and maximum electroshock (MES) induced seizure test and anxiolytic activity was evaluated using elevated plus maze, light/dark box and hole board test.

Results In present study, AEMO (250, 375 and 500 mg/kg, i.p.) demonstrated significant antiepileptic and anxiolytic effects. To study involvement of GABA in anxiolytic and antiepileptic activity of AEMO, we also evaluated effect of AEMO on Baclofen induced catatonia, a GABA mediated behavior, wherein AEMO significantly potentiated (preponed) baclofen induced catatonia, which is suggestive of its GABA mimetic action.

Conclusion Thus, it may be concluded that aqueous extract of M. oleifera possess anxiolytic and antiepileptic effects possibly mediated via of GABA mimetic action and these findings authenticate the traditional claims about use of Moringa oleifera in treatment of epilepsy and anxiety.

 
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