Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research (ISSN : 0975-7384)

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Original Articles: 2013 Vol: 5 Issue: 9

Evaluation of anticonvulsant activity of ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale in Swiss albino rats

Abstract

Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder associated with recurrent episodes of seizures due to the abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Ginger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, is one of the most widely used species of the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Zingiber officinale shows anticonvulsant activity apart from many other medicinal properties such as immuno-modulatory, anti-tumorogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-lipidemic, carminative and anti-emetic actions. Ginger is a strong anti-oxidant agent and may prevent generation of free radicals. Maximal electroshock seizures (MES) in albino rats were used to study anticonvulsant activity of ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale rhizome. The ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale rhizome was administered orally in graded doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg in swiss albino rats and the effects were compared with phenytoin as standard and normal saline as control in MES method. The Zingiber officinale rhizome has shown significant decrease in the duration of tonic hind limb extension suggesting anticonvulsant effect. The screening results indicate that ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale rhizome have possible anticonvulsant activity