EVALUATION OF THE ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF PSIDIUM GUAJAVA (GUAVA LEAVES) IN ALBINO MICE

Objective: To evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of ethanolic extract (200mg/kg & 400mg/kg) of Psidium guajava (guava leaves) in albino mice. Methods: Albino mice (25-30gms) of either sex were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of 6 mice each, Group I (control) – Distilled water (vehicle) 1ml, Group II (Standard) – Valproic acid (40mg/kg), Group III – T1, ethanolic extract of Psidium guajava (200mg/kg), Group IV- T2, ethanolic extract of Psidium guajava (400mg/kg). All drugs were administered orally 1 h before the induction of seizures. The anticonvulsant activity was screened using maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) models. Results: The data were analyzed by one way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. Ethanolic extract of Psidium guajava dose-dependently produces significant antiepileptic activity in comparison to control. In MES test, the percentage inhibition of seizure is T2 – 49% and T1 – 37% in comparison to control. In the PTZ test, the percentage of protection from seizure by T2 is 83.4%, and T1 is 50% when compared to the standard drug. Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Psidium guavajava leaves showed significant anticonvulsant activity. A higher dose (400mg/kg) of the ethanolic extract showed better antiepileptic activity when compared to a lower dose (200mg/kg).