Veterinary Archives, Vol. 73 No. 2, 2003.
Original scientific paper
Sedative and anticonvulsant effects of aqueous extract of Ficus sycomorus L. (Moraceae) stembark in rats.
Umar Kyari Sandabe
; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
Patrick Azubuike Onyeyili
; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
Gregory Anene Chibuzo
; Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
Abstract
The aqueous extract of the stembark of Ficus sycomorus was prepared and used as 0.2 mg/ ml. Seventy white albino rats of both sexes weighing between 101 g and 120 g were used for this study. The sedative effects of the extract were demonstrated by its increase on amylobarbitone sleeping time in a dose-dependent manner and its slight increase in the duration of ketamine anaesthetic time with resultant abolition of palpebral, pedal and inner ear reflexes in rats. The extract conferred 100% protection to rats treated with a convulsive dose of pentylenetetrazol, indicating anticonvulsive effect, but could not protect rats treated with strychnine even though it delayed the time of onset of death.Thus, the results suggested that the aqueous extract of Ficus sycomorus stembark possesses a sedative effect and anticonvulsive properties in rats.
Keywords
Ficus sycomorus; sedative effect; anticonvulsive effect
Hrčak ID:
71231
URI
Publication date:
22.4.2003.
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