Antiepileptic effects of antioxidant potent extract from Urtica dioica Linn. root on pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock induced seizure models

Urtica dioica Linn. (Urticaceae) is a medicinal plant that has shown various therapeutic utilities in folklore medicine along with its use in the treatment of epilepsy. The entire plant has a sensible reservoir of nutritional elements and micronutrients. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antiepileptic effect of antioxidant potent extract of Urtica dioica root on animal models. Antioxidant activity of various solvent extracts i.e. Petroleum ether extract (PEE), Ethyl acetate extract (EAE), Chloroform extract (CE) and Ethanolic extract (EE) were screened by DPPH radical scavenging assay using Ascorbic acid as the standard. Further the most potent antioxidant extract was subjected to antiepileptic activity against MES and PTZ model. The IC(50) values of different Urtica dioica extracts (PEE, CE, EAE, and EE) in antioxidant assay were found to be 167.54 ± 1.97, 134.41 ± 0.82, 88.15 ± 1.39 and 186.38 ± 1.91 μg/ml in DPPH radical scavenging assay, respectively. The EAE has showed the potent antioxidant activity. In experimental study the EAE (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o) has found to be effective and significant against MES and PTZ induced seizures. The present study also suggested that antioxidant potent extract (EAE) of Urtica dioica root has antiepileptic effect against MES and PTZ induced seizures. However, further research studies will investigate the active component(s) of Urtica dioica responsible for the observed anticonvulsant effects.