Sedative and anticonvulsant effects of an alcoholic extract of Capparis decidua

Capparis decidua (frock) Edgew (family Capparidaceae) is a xerophytic shrub, commonly known as karrel or ker, whose bark and shoot are used as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and antidiabetic agents. The plant contains generous quantities of alkaloids. An alcoholic extract of aerial parts of C. decidua, including flowers and fruits, was screened for central nervous system (CNS) activity using conventional behavioral animal models. In the open field test all doses of C. decidua extract tested decreased the number of rearings, grooming, and fecal bolus (P < 0.001) when compared with control. In the barbiturate-induced sleeping test a significant (P < 0.001) a decrease in latency of sleeping and increase in sleeping time were observed at all doses (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg). C. decidua extract increased the percentage of animals exhibiting motor deficit in the rotarod test. In the pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures test the C. decidua extract dose-dependently decreased (P < 0.05) the number of animals with convulsions and increased convulsion latency (P < 0.001); none of the animals treated with extract died in the test. C. decidua extract decreased the duration of tonic hind leg extension in maximal electroshock-induced seizures (P < 0.001) when compared with control. The findings of the present animal study suggested that C. decidua has CNS depressant and anticonvulsant activities.