Neuropharmacological Profile of Fractions of Actaea acuminata H. Hara Roots

Abstract

The methanol extract of Actaea acuminata roots have beenpreviously reported to exhibit significant antianxiety, anticonvulsant andantidepressant activities. In present study fractionation of crude bioactivemethanol extract was carried out using different solvents employing standardprocedure. Various fractions were evaluated for antianxiety, anticonvulsantand antidepressant activities using elevated plus maze model (EPM), maximalelectroshock-induced convulsions model (MES) and forced / despair swim test(FST) respectively. Successive partitioning of bioactive methanol extract wasdone with ethyl acetate and 1-butanol. The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF; 100mg/kg), 1-butanol fraction (BF; 25 mg/kg) and remaining methanol extract(RME; 70 mg/kg) were subjected to neuropharmacological activities. TheEAF significantly enhanced entries and average time spent in open arms;significantly decreased duration of MES-induced tonic extension phase andsignificantly decreased duration of immobility time of rats in comparisonto control. BF and RME did not exhibit any neuropharmacological activity.Qualitative chemical tests confirmed presence of alkaloids and polyphenolsin EAF. It is finally concluded that alkaloids and/or polyphenols are bioactiveconstituents of A. acuminata which are responsible for neuropharmacologicalactivities.