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Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ziziyphus nummularia (family: Rhamnaceae) is a xerophyte, grows in the grazing lands of the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Ziziyphus nummularia (ZN) is used as sedative in ethnomedicine. The objective of this study is to investigate the anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative activities of the alcoholic extract of leaves of Ziziyphus nummularia (EZN).

Materials and methods: The anticonvulsant effect of the EZN (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg) was evaluated in mice using the pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock induced seizure models. Its anxiolytic activity was evaluated using the elevated plus maze, hole board and open field models board methods, while the pentobarbital induced sleep was used to evaluate the sedative activity. The acute toxicity and effect on motor coordination were also assessed.

Results: EZN (100-300 mg/kg) protected the mice against the pentylenetetrazole induced convulsions; it causes a significant (P<0.05) dose dependent increase in latency of convulsion. Treatment with EZN reduced the duration of the tonic hind limb extension induced by electroshock Mice treated with EZN preferred the open arm of the plus maze and were found to be devoid of open-arm avoidance. EZN potentiation the barbiturate induce sleep in mice, it causes a decrease in the sleep latency and increases the duration of sleep.

Conclusion: The results obtained from the experiments indicate that the EZN has CNS depressant and anticonvulsant activities. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.