Central depressant effects of Crinum zeylanicum Linn.

( Amaryllidaceae) in mice Tijani AY1, Salawu OA1, Anuka JA 2, Hussaini M I 3

1

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,

National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Idu industrial Area, AbujaNigeria.
2

Department of Pharmacology,Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

3

Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA

Preparations of Crinum zeylanicum (CZ) bulb extract are used in traditional medicine in Nigeria for management of malaria, general debility, psychosis and epilepsy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the central depressant effects of the methanolic extract of Crinum zeylanicum bulb extract. The central nervous system (CNS) activity of the methanolic extract of Crinum zeylanicum bulb was studied at 3 dose levels of 250, 500 and 1000 mg extract/kg body weight on locomotor activity, pentobarbital sleeping time, exploratory behaviour, apomorphine-induced stereotypy, and performance on tread mills (rota-rod), using mice. The results revealed that the extract significantly(p<0.05, p<0.001) reduced the locomotor and exploratory activities in mice, prolonged pentobarbital sleeping time in mice and attenuated apomorphine-induced stereotypy in mice, dose-dependently. The extract had no effect on motor co-ordination as determined by the performance on rota-rod. These results suggest that the extract may possess sedative principles with potential neuroleptic properties. Key words: Crinum zeylanicum, sleep time, stereotype, behaviour. Alumnus of 25th IBRO-ISN School of Neuroscience in Africa, Durban, RSA, October 2428, 2010