Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects nearly 1% of the world's population and remains a major public health problem in sub-Saharan. This study aimed at investigating anticonvulsant effects and acute toxicity of four Cameroonian medicinal plants: Malvaviscus arboreus (M. arboreus), Alchemilla kiwuensis (A. kiwuensis), and mixture of Drymaria cordata (D. cordata) and Markhamia lutea (M. lutea). Acute epileptic seizures were induced on Swiss mice of both sexes with pentylenetetrazole (70 mg/kg), picrotoxin (7.5 mg/kg) and strychnine (2.5 mg/kg). Acute toxicity and qualitative phytochemical tests of plants were further perfomed. M. arboreus protected 71.43% of subjects against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures at 688 mg/kg (p < 0.01) and 57.14% of subjects against picrotoxin-induced seizures at 1376 mg/kg (p < 0.05) and had no effect on strychnine-induced seizures and death. A. kiwuensis protected 85.71% of subjects against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures at 41.25 mg/kg (p < 0.001) and 57.14% of subjects against picrotoxin-induced seizures at 82.5 mg/kg (p < 0.05) and had no effect on strychnine-induced seizures and death. Mixture of D. cordata and M. lutea protected 71.43% of subjects against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures at 1554 mg/kg (p < 0.01) and 28.57% of subjects against strychnine-induced seizures at 388.5 mg/kg and had no effect on picrotoxin-induced seizures. All the extracts were non-toxic in the acute toxicity test and their qualitative phytochemistry revealed bioactive compounds such as saponins, phenols and tannins. These results show that those various plants’ extracts are non-toxic and have anticonvulsant properties. They then could contribute to improve the treatment of epilepsy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adongo DW, Mante PK, Kukuia KKE, Biney RP, Benneh CK, Ameyaw EO, Woode E (2017) Anticonvulsant activity of Pseudospondias microcarpa (A. Rich) Engl. hydroethanolic leaf extract in mice: the role of excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmission and nitric oxide pathway. J Ethnopharmacol 206:78–91
Beyer J, Drummer OH, Maurer HH (2009) Analysis of toxic alkaloids in body samples. Forensic Sci Int 185(1–3):1–9
Boughalleb N, Débbabi N, Jannet HB, Mighri Z, Mahjoub ME (2005) Antifungal activity of volatile components extracted from leaves, stems and flowers of four plants growing in Tunisia. Phytopathol Mediterr 44:307–312
El-Wahab AEA, Ghareeb DA, Sarhan EE, Abu-Serie MM, Demellawy MA (2013) In vitro biological assessment of berberis vulgaris and its active constituent, berberine : antioxidants, anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-diabetic and anticancer effects. Complement Altern Med 13:218
Erkeç ÖE, Arihan O (2015) Pentylenetetrazole kindling epilepsy model. Epilepsia 21(1):6–12
Jefferys JGR (2015) Basic mechanisms of epilepsy. University of Oxford, Oxford
Kamalraj R (2011) Anticonvulsivant studies of leaf extract of Erythrina indica Lam. Int J Pharm Sci Res 2(10):2729–2732
Kamtchueng M, Balyan R, Mouokeu R, Tume C, Banerjee C, Chawla S, Oumar M, Kuiate J (2017) Anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extract and fraction from Alchemilla kiwuensis Eng on LPS activated macrophages. Int J Pharmacol Phytochem Res 4:473–481
Kandratavicius L, Balista PA, Lopes-Aguiar C, Ruggiero RN, Umeoka EH, Garcia-Cairasco N, Bueno-Junior LS, Leite JP (2014) Animal models of epilepsy: use and limitations. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 10:1693–1705
Naseer MI, Shupeng L, Kim MO (2009) Maternal epileptic seizure induced by pentylenetetrazol: apoptotic neurodegeneration and decreased GABAB1 receptor expression in prenatal rat brain. Mol Brain 2:20–31
Ngo Bum E, Nkantchoua GN, Njikam N, Taiwe GS, Ngoupaye GT, Pelanken MM, Nanga L, Maidawa F, Rakotonirina A, Rakotonirina SV (2010) Anticonvulsant and Sedative activity of leaves of Senna spectabilis in mice. Int J Pharmacol 6(2):123–128
Ngo Bum E, Taiwe GS, Moto FCO, Ngoupaye GT, Vougat RRN, Sakoue VD, Gwa C, Ayissi ER, Dong C, Rakotonirina A and Rakotonirina SV (2011). Antiepileptic medicinal plants used in traditional medicine to treat epilepsy. Clinical Genetic Aspects of Epilepsy, pp 175–192
Ngo Bum E, Taiwe GS, Nkainsa LA, Moto FCO, Seke Etet PF, Hiana IR, Bailabar T, Rouyatou PS, Rakotonirina A, Rakotonirina SV (2009) Validation of anticonvulsant and sedative activity of six medicinal plants. Epilepsy Behav 14:454–458
Ngoupaye GT, Ngo Bum E, Ngah E, Talla E, Moto FCO, Taiwe GS, Rakotonirina A, Rakotonirina SV (2013) The anticonvulsant and sedative effects of Gladiolus dalenii extracts in mice. Epilepsy Behav 28:450–456
Ngoupaye GT, Pahaye DB, Ngondi J, Moto FCO, Bum EN (2017) Gladiolus dalenii lyophilisate reverses scopolamine-induced amnesia and reduces oxidative stress in rat brain. Biomed Pharmacother 91:350–357
WHO (2017) Epilepsie. Aide-mémoire N°999, https://www.WHO.org, 5 p
Pahaye DB, Ngo Bum E, Taïwé GS, Ngoupaye GT, Sidiki N, Moto FCO, Kouemou N, Njapdounke SJK, Nkantchoua G, Kandeda A, Omam JPO, Mairaira V, Ojong JL (2017) Neuroprotective and antiamnesic effects of Mitragyna inermis Willd (Rubiaceae) on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. Behav Neurol 2017:1–11
Plech T, Kaproń B, Łuszczki JJ, Wujec M, Paneth A, Siwek A, Kołaczkowski M, Żołnierek M, Gabriel NG (2014) Studies on the anticonvulsant activity and influence on GABA-ergic neurotransmission of 1,2,4-triazole-3-thionebased compounds. Molecules 19:11279–11299
Prischich F, De Rinaldis M, Flaminia B, Egeo G, Santori C, Zappaterreno A, Fattouch J, Di Bonaventura C, Bada J, Gianluca R, Pizzuti A, Cardona F, Sa’a VV, Giallonardo AT, Erasmo E, Pelliccia A and Vanacore N, (2008) High prevalence of epilepsy in a village in littoral province of Cameroon. Epilepsy Res 82(2):200–210
SGL (2015). Malvaviscus arboreus-Hibiscus piment, Hibiscus dormant. Jardin ! L’encyclopédie. www.Jardin.com. Consulted the 10/06/2017
Shen H-Y, Vliet EV, Bright K-A, Hanthorn M, Lytle N, Gorter J, Aronica Eand Boison D (2015) Glycine Transporter 1 is a target for the treatment of epilepsy. Neuropharmacology 99:554–565
Sridharamurthy NB, Muralidhar ST, Juganta DA, Channaveeraswamy THM (2013) Effect of fluoroquinolones for Anticonvulsant activities on PTZ induced seizures in mice. Int J Adv Res 1(8):34–45
Stafstrom CE, Carmant L (2016) Seizures and epilepsy: an overview for neuroscientists. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 5:a022426
Tomo DA (2005) Phytochimie et activités biologiques de trois plantes utilisées dans le traitement traditionnel des infections sexuellement transmissibles (IST) au Mali: Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev. (Longaniaceae), Erythrina senegalensis DC. (Fabaceae) et Heliotropium indicum L. (Borraginaceae). Thèse de Pharmacie, Université de Bamako-Mali
Valenzuela F, Puglia MP, Zucca S (2011) Focus on: neurotransmitter systems. Alcohol Res Health 34:106–120
Vazquez-Cahuich DA, Espinosa MJ, Centurion HD, Velazquez MJR, Borges-Argaez R, Caceres FM (2013) Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of the essential oils of Malvaviscus arboreus Cav, Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr., Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth and Psidium guajava L. Trop Subtrop Agroecosyst 16(3):505–513
Xia X, Hui W, Qimei Z, Zhongmou H (2018) Modulation of P2X purinoceptor 3 (P2X3) in pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling epilepsy in rats. Med Sci 24:6165–6177
Yasunaka K, Abeb F, Nagayamaa A, Okabeb H, Lozada-Perez L, Lopez-Villafranco E, Muniz EE, Aguilar A, Reyes-Chilpa R (2005) Antibacterial activity of crude extracts from Mexican medicinal plants and purified coumarins and xanthones. J Ethnopharmacol 97:293–299
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the University of Dschang and the Institute of Medical Research and Studies of Medicinal Plants for their supports.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Ngoupaye designed and supervised the experiments; Adassi, Foutsop and Noungoua conducted the laboratory trials as part of their Master’s dissertation; Yaya performed the phytochemical screenings; Kom gave material and human support for experiments; Ngo Bum gave general advices concerning the work.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical statement
Animals were treated in accordance with the guidelines of the Cameroonian bioethics committee (reg N. FWA IRB00001954) and in accordance with NIH-Care and Use of Laboratory Animals manual. Efforts were also made to minimize animal suffering and to reduce the number of animal used in the experiment.
Conflict of interest
G. T. Ngoupaye has no conflict of interest. M. B. Adassi has no conflict of interest. F. A. Foutsop has no conflict of interest. M. C. Noungoua has no conflict of interest. J. Yaya has no conflict of interest. D. T. Kom has no conflict of interest. E. Ngo Bum has no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ngoupaye, G.T., Adassi, M.B., Foutsop, A.F. et al. Anticonvulsant effect and acute toxicity study of the aqueous lyophilized extract of four medicinal plants of Cameroon: Malvaviscus arboreus, Alchemilla kiwuensis and mixture of Drymaria cordata and Markhamia lutea. ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM) 22, 177–191 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-020-00525-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-020-00525-8