Anticonvulsant activities of the FS-1 subfraction isolated from roots of Delphinium denudatum

Delphinium denudatum Wall. (Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal herb used for the treatment of epilepsy in the subcontinent. The present study reports the a nticonvulsant activities in the maximal electroshock test (MEST) and subcut aneous pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), bicuculline (BIC), picrotoxin (PIC)-induce d seizures of the FS-1 subfraction (FS-1) that was obtained by purification of an aqueous fraction isolated from the roots of D. denudatum. In CF 1 mi ce, FS-1 (600 mg/kg i.p.) exhibited very potent anticonvulsant activity tha t was comparable to the effects of the well-known antiepileptic drug phenyt oin (20 mg1/g) in MEST and protected 100% animals from hind limb tonic exte nsion phase of this model. FS-1 also suppressed PTZ-induced threshold seizu re and the loss of the righting reflex with tonic fore and hind limb extens ion by 100%, similar to the antiepileptic drug valproic acid (350 mg/kg). B IC-induced seizures were suppressed in 80% of the animals. FS-1 exhibited w eak anticonvulsant effect on PIC-induced seizures, however, it significantl y reduced mortality and delayed the onset of seizures. FS-1 had no effect o n strychnine (STN)-induced extensor seizures. The results demonstrate the b road and potent anticonvulsant activity of the compounds in FS-1 of D. denu datum. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.