ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITIES OF VISCUM CAPENSE

Dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts of Viscum sapense L.f., o f the Loranthaceae family, were tested for antimicrobial activities ag ainst Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albica ns. Methanol extract was also tested for activity against seizures in albino mice induced by pentyleneletrazole (PTZ), bicuculline and N-met hyl-DL-aspartic acid (NMDLA). Methanol extract of V. capense inhibited the growth of S. aureus. Methanol extract also protected the mice aga inst PTZ- and bicuculline-induced tonic seizures but did not significa ntly alter NMDLA-induced tonic seizures. The data indicate that the ex tract of V. capense has antibacterial activity against S. aureus and a lso anticonvulsant activity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd, Al l rights reserved.