An Investigation of Anticonvulsant Activity of Aqueous Extract of Ficus carica Linn Fruits in Experimental Animal Models

The main moto of the present study is to evaluate the anticonvulsant property of Ficus carica fruits in Swiss albino mice using Maximal electroshock seizures (MES) model. Animals were divided into 5 groups of n=6 each using Phenytoin (25 mg/kg i.p) as the standard drug. The Aqueous extract of Ficus carica was given at three doses of 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 750 mg/kg p.o. The test samples had been given one hour prior to the induction of convulsions. The present study reveals that the aqueous extract of Ficus carica at the doses of 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 750 mg/kg p.o significantly reduced the duration of tonic hind limb extension (THLE) in mice (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05) in a dose dependent manner as compared to the vehicle control. The aqueous extract of dose 750 mg/kg body weight was found to have much similar like that of Phenytoin (Standard drug). As a result of the foregoing findings, the aqueous extract of Ficus carica was found to have considerable anticonvulsant activity in the Maximal electroshock seizures (MES) model.