NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT
Journal of the Faculties of Science and Agriculture, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
ISSN: 1119-9008
DOI: 10.5987/UJ-NJSE
Email: njse@universityjournals.org
SOME CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS OF THE AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF SOLANUM NIGRUM, LINN (SOLANACEAE).
DOI: 10.5987/UJ-NJSE.17.077.1 | Article Number: 65EB7413 | Vol.12 (1) - May 2013
Authors: Unuareokpa C. E. , Innih S. O. and Owolabi J. O.
Keywords: Stimulant effect, centrally pain, depressant effect, acute toxicity
Solanum nigrum Linn (Solanaceae) commonly known as deadly nightshade is a plant native to Eurasia and found in all the dry parts of India. It has a long tradition of use for its sedative and analgesic properties. However, no pharmacological basis has been provided for these ethnomedicinal applications hence this study. The leaves of the plant were extracted using distilled water and screened for sedative properties via barbiturate-induced sleeping time and motor coordination. The animals were divided into six groups of five animals per group and administered with the extract in graded doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg). Central analgesic effect was also investigated via the use of the hotplate analgesic meter. In this case, the duration of time spent by each animal on the hot plate before licking its paws was observed and recorded accordingly. Comparison was made with control groups that were administered with caffeine, diazepam, pentazocine and normal saline. The phytochemical constituent of the plant was also determined using various laboratory test methods and reagents. The oral acute toxicity profile of the extract was also determined, where the animals were closely observed for the first 24 hours and thereafter for the next fourteen days. The results obtained revealed that the aqueous leaf extract of Solanum nigrum significantly (p<0.05) prolonged both the duration of sleep in the barbiturate- induced sleeping time and time spent on the rotarod at the 400 mg/kg dose, while the 100 mg/kg dose showed significant (p<0.05) stimulant effect via reduction of the duration of sleep in the barbiturate induced sleeping time. All doses of the extract significantly (p<0.05) enlongated the mean reaction time spent on the hot plate from 120th min indicating protection against centrally induced pain. It also showed a wide therapeutic window, with a mean lethal dose of 2.3 g/kg.It can be concluded that the plant does possesses some central nervous system effects and is fairly safe.
Aaronson, D.S. and Horvath, C.M. (2002). A road map for those who know JAKSTAT. Science, In: Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 10th edition, 296: 1653.
Adeyemi, O.O., Okpo, S.O. and Okpaka, O. (2004). The analgesic effect of the methanolic extract of Acanthus motanus. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 90: 45- 48.
Beckstead, M.J., Weiner, J.L., Eger, E.I., Gong, D.H. and Mihic, S.J. (2000). Glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (A) receptor function is enhanced by inhaled drugs of abuse. Molecular Pharmacology 57:1199-1205.
Blomqvist, M.M. and Nguyen, T.B. (1999). Solanum L. In: Plant resources of South East Asia. Medicinal and Poisonous plants. (de Pauda, Bunyapraphatsara,
L.S., Lemmens, R.H.M.J. eds) Bachhuys Publishers, Leiden, 12(1): 453-460.
Cai, X.F., Chin, Y.W. and Oh, S.R. (2010). Anti-inflammatory constituents from Solanum nigrum. Bulletin of Korean Chemical Society 31 : 199-201.1
Lorke, D. (1983). A new approach to practical acute toxicity testing. Archives of Toxicology 54: 275-287
Muto, M., Mulabagal, V., Huang, H.C., Takahashi, H., Tsay, H.S. and Huang,
J.W. (2006). Toxicity of black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) extacts on Alternaria
brassicicola, causal agent of black leaf spot of Chinese cabbage. Journal of Phytopathology 154 (1): 45-50
Owolabi, O.J., Amaechina, F.C. and Eledan, A.B. (2008). Central nervous system stimulant effect of the ethanolic extract of Kigelia africana. Journal of Medicinal
Plants Research 2 (2): 020-23.
Silverman, K., Evans, S.M., Strain, E.C. and Griffith, R.R. (1999). Withdrawal syndrome after the double-blind cessation, caffeine consumption. New England
Journal of Medicine 327: 1109-1114
Trease, G.E. and Evans, W.C. (1989). Pharmacognosy. 13th Edn., English Language Book Society, Bailliere Tindall, Britian, 378: 386-480.
Tuner, R.A. (1965). Screening methods in Pharmacology. Academic Press, New
York.
Wannang, N.N., Anuka, J.A., Kwanashie, H.O., Gyang, S.S. and Auta, A. (2008).
Antiseizure activity of the aqeous leaf extract of Solanum nigrum Linn (Solanaceae) in experimental animals. African Health Science 8 (2): 74-79
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (2009). Research guidelines inflammatory Bowel Disease (Mac Dermott, R and Stenson, W., eds). Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York.
Zakaria, Z.A., Gopalan, H.K., Zainal, H., Mohd Pojan, N.H., Morsid, N.A., Aris,
A. and Sulaiman, M.R. (2006). Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of Solanum nigrum chloroform extract in animal models. Yakugaku