Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF NEUROPHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF TAMARINDUS INDICA L. IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

G. B. Alaka Kar, Dr. Susanta Kumar Rout* and Debashisa Mishra

Abstract

Tamarindus indica Linn is a plant that is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of cold, fever, stomach disorder, diarrhoea, jaundice and as skin cleanser. Tamarindus indica L. is a fruit tree (Magnoliophyta) is widely distributed in Asia. The available scientific information about Central nervous system (CNS) disorders of this species is scarce and there are no reports related to its possible effect on the CNS. The purpose of this study is to investigate the neuropharmacological activities like sedative effect (Phenobarbitone induced sleeping time, spontaneous motor activity, rotarod), anxiolytic effect (elevated plus-maze), antidepressant (forced swimming test), anticonvulsant (maximal electroshock and PTZ induced epilepsy) effects respectively, in laboratory animals by using hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Tamarindus indica L. The extract (250 mg and 500 mg) and standard drugs were administered orally. The extract at 500 mg/kg had an insignificant p>0.05 effect on shortened the onset time of sleep and prolonged the duration of sleep induced by phenobarbitone sodium. The extract also exhibited a significant (P

Keywords: Sedative, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant activity, Central nervous system.