Evaluation of Antiepileptic Potential of Ethanolic Extract of Thuja Occidentalis Leaves in Mice

The present investigation was carried out with an objective to evaluate and establish the anti epileptic action of ethanolic extract of Thuja occidentalis leaf. The ethanolic extraction was carried out using soxhlet apparatus and the yield of extract was obtained to be 34.1 %. The findings of the phytochemical analysis suggest the presence of alkaloids, phenolics, terpenoids, sterols, and flavonoids in the ethanolic extract leaves. The total flavonoid content of the extract was determined as quercetin equivalent and was found to be 0.497 mg/100 mg quercetin equivalent. The acute toxicity study revealed a dose of 750 mg/kg body weight as maximum safe dose. The anticonvulsant action was determined using maximal electroshock induced seizure model and pilocarpine induced convulsions model. Two different dose levels (75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg body weight) of Thuja occidentalis leaf extract were selected for evaluation of the antiepileptic action. The results indicated that the extract of Thuja occidentalis leaf was able to decrease the onset of hind limb extension significantly and also it abolished the occurrence of clonus in the test animals. Key words: Thuja occidentalis, extract, epilepsy, pilocarpine, latency.