ANTI-EPILEPTIC ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF TERMINALIA CORIACEA{ROXB.}WIGHT & ARN IN RATS

Based on the ethnopharmacological information of the plant, Leathery Murdah (Terminalia coriacea {Roxb.} Wight & Arn.) belonging tofamily Combretaceae is found in dry and warmer parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, states of India. Traditionally the stem bark of this plant is used to treat callous ulcers. Anti-epileptic studies on the crude methanol extract of Terminalia coriacea were carried out at doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of TCLME were given orally using maximal electroshock test (MES) in rats, pentelynetetrazole (PTZ), tests in rats. The latency of seizures, death time and % of mortality were observed TCLME gave significant protection against the PTZ (pentylene tetrazole) and MES (maximal electro shock) induced convulsions. The p value in MES, p< 0.01 and p< 0.05and PTZ is p< 0.01.The results suggest that the crude methanol extract of Terminalia coriacea contains pharmacologically active substances like alkaloids, amino acids carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, resins, saponins, sterols, tannins, triterpenoids and phenolic compounds in the extracts which possess anticonvulsant activity, thus giving credence to the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of epilepsy. Keywords: Terminalia coriacea leave methanolic extract (TCLME), anti-seizure activity, maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylene tetrazole (PTZ) induced convulsions.