Abstract

Erythrina droogmansiana is used in traditional medicine in Cameroon to treat epilepsy, insomnia and headaches. From this plant, many secondary metabolites are extracted including alcaloids, tannins, flavonoids, etc. Amongst the flavonoid, abyssinone V-4’ methyl ether is used in this manipulation. Animal models of epilepsy: pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), picrotoxine (PIC) and pilocarpine (PILO)-induced convulsions or turning behavior were used to evaluate anticonvulsant activity while diazepam-induced sleep test was used to evaluate sedative activity of the extract. Four doses of extracts were used for each group test (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg). Abyssinone V-4' methyl ether protected 100% of mice against the convulsions induced by the pentylenetetrazole at the dose of 100 mg/kg. Abyssinone V-4’ methyl ether protected 100% of mice at the doses of 25 and 100 mg/kg and 80% at the doses of 12.5 and 50 mg/kg against generalized convulsions induced by picrotoxine. This flavonoid protected 100% of mice at the doses 25 and 50 mg/kg and 80% at the doses of 12.5 mg/kg against generalized convulsions induced by pilocarpine. Moreover, for the test of induction of convulsions by pilocarpine, Abyssinone V-4’ methyl ether protected 100% of mice at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg and 71.43% at the doses of 12.5 and 100 mg/kg against death after 1h and 24h respectively. Abyssinone V-4’ methyl ether has anticonvulsivant properties and not sedative properties. These results explain the use of Erythrina droogmansiana to treat epilepsy.

Key words: Epilepsy, Insomnia, Traditional medicine, pilocarpine, abyssinone V-4’ methyl ether