Anticonvulsant activity of solasodine isolated from Solanum sisymbriifolium fruits in rodents

Abstract

Context: Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. (Solanaceae), commonly known as sticky nightshade, is traditionally used for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Although solasodine has been isolated from this plant, little is known about its anticonvulsant and CNS depressant actions.

Objective: We investigated anticonvulsant and CNS depressant effects of solasodine isolated from S. sisymbriifolium using several experimental models.

Materials and methods: Swiss albino mice (n = 6) were employed for pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and picrotoxin (PCT)-induced convulsions and thiopental-induced sleep time. Different groups of Wistar albino rats (n = 6) were subjected to maximal electroshock (MES) test. Solasodine, a steroidal glycoalkaloid, was isolated from dried fruits of S. sisymbriifolium and identified by GC-MS.

Results: The results showed that intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of solasodine (25 mg/kg) significantly delayed (p < 0.01) latency of hind limb tonic extensor (HLTE) phase in the PCT-induced convulsions. In the MES model, solasodine significantly reduced (p < 0.001) duration of HLTE at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, i.p. in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, solasodine did not produce any significant reduction in PTZ-induced convulsions. Prior treatment of solasodine (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly potentiated thiopental-provoked sleep in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.001).

Discussion and conclusion: Our study, for the first time, shows potent anticonvulsant and CNS depressant activities of solasodine. It is likely that solasodine, in part, is responsible for the anticonvulsant and sedative properties of S. sisymbriifolium. The future study should focus on the exact mechanism of action of solasodine.

Keywords::

• Epilepsy
• maximal electroshock
• picrotoxin
• Solanum sisymbriifolium
• solasodine

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Pran Jeevan Parmar of the Botanical Survey of India for identification and authentication of the plant. We are grateful to Dr. Navin Sheth, Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot, Gujarat (India) for providing the facilities during the course of this study. The gift sample of PHE by Piramal Healthcare, Himachal Pradesh (India), is gratefully acknowledged.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.