Abstract:
Parinari curatellifolia is used by traditional medicine practitioners for the treatment of epilepsy.
So far, no study has isolated the active principle that may be responsible for its anticonvulsant
activity. The study aimed to isolate compound(s) present from Parinari curatellifolia that may be
responsible for its anticonvulsant activity. The ethyl acetate fraction of the stem bark of Parinari
curatellifolia was chromatographed over silica gel column chromatography which led to the
isolation of compound C. The structure of the compound was elucidated using IR, 1H-NMR, 13CNMR
and DEPT-135 spectroscopy. Acute toxicity study of the isolated compound was evaluated
in mice using OECD 425 guidelines (2000 mg/kg orally). The anticonvulsant study of the isolated
compound (at 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg) was evaluated in mice using pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-
induced convulsion. The sedative properties of the compound (at 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg) were
evaluated using the diazepam-induced sleep model in rats. Structure elucidation of the isolated
compound confirmed the compound to be oleanolic acid. Acute toxicity study revealed no lethal
effects at 2000 mg/kg. the compound (oleanolic acid) significantly (p<0.05) increased the onset
of seizure at all doses and resulted in 25% protection against seizure at 100 mg/kg. It exerted
sedative effect at all doses by significantly (p<0.05) reducing sleep latency and increasing total
duration of sleep induced by diazepam. The results obtained from this study have revealed the
presence of oleanolic acid in P. curatellifolia and have shown its anticonvulsant and sedative
activities for the first time.
